The odds are in our favour! More than a decade after they last stepped into the arena, Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson are officially returning to Panem.
Multiple outlets have confirmed that the former co-stars will reprise their iconic roles as Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark in The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping—the upcoming prequel centred on a young Haymitch Abernathy.
While the bulk of the film follows Haymitch’s brutal ascent during the 50th Hunger Games, fans of the book will recognise the likelihood of a flash-forward cameo.
Although Woody Harrelson has not yet confirmed whether he’ll appear onscreen, his unmistakable voice can be heard in the film’s first teaser, promising: “I think these games are gonna be different.”
In an interview with Variety, Hutcherson had already hinted that a return to The Hunger Games universe might be on the cards.
“I would love to be back on set with Francis, with Jen, with Liam, with Woody [Harrelson],” he said. “It would not take any convincing at all. I’d be there in a heartbeat.”
When the conversation shifted to whether the new film might recreate the novel’s ending, he kept his cards close.
“That would be a dream come true. Do dreams come true? Sometimes. Sometimes not. Sometimes, yeah.”
How Do Katniss And Peeta Return In The Prequel?
Lawrence and Hutcherson are expected to appear in a flash-forward sequence as Katniss and Peeta, mirroring the epilogue of Suzanne Collins’ novel.
In the book, Katniss and Peeta sit with Haymitch after the events of Mockingjay and learn the full tragedy of his past, prompting a rare moment of tenderness between the hardened survivors.
When Will The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping Be Released In Australia?
Mark your calendars: the film arrives in Australian cinemas on November 20, 2026. If you can’t wait, Suzanne Collins’ novel that inspired the prequel is already on shelves.
Who Else Is In The Sunrise On The Reaping Cast?
Sunrise On The Reaping boasts an expansive cast led by Joseph Zada as young Haymitch, alongside Glenn Close, McKenna Grace, Elle Fanning, Ralph Fiennes, Kieran Culkin, Billy Porter, Jesse Plemons and Whitney Peak.
Who Is Directing Sunrise On The Reaping?
Franchise veteran Francis Lawrence returns to direct, bringing the same expansive vision he delivered in Catching Fire and both Mockingjay films.
Who Wrote The Screenplay?
Screenwriter Billy Ray, who adapted the original 2012 film, returned to pen the prequel. His previous credits include Captain Phillips (for which he received an Oscar nomination), Flightplan and Terminator: Dark Fate.
Producers Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson also return, alongside executive producer Cameron MacConomy.
