Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson are officially returning as Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark in the upcoming film The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, marking their first appearance in the franchise since 2015’s Mockingjay – Part 2.
Their comeback was confirmed through major Hollywood outlets after Lionsgate announced key casting details for the new adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ 2025 novel.
Sunrise on the Reaping takes viewers back 24 years before the original trilogy, during the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell. The story focuses on a young Haymitch Abernathy long before he became the tough, sharp mentor to District 12’s tributes.
Although the film’s main narrative centers on Haymitch’s experience inside the deadly arena, Lawrence and Hutcherson will appear in scenes set decades later, aligning with the timeline presented at the end of Collins’ novel.
Their return is significant for longtime fans. The partnership between Lawrence and Hutcherson shaped the emotional core of the original films, and their reunion creates a direct bridge between the prequel story and the era that audiences first fell in love with. Their presence doesn’t shift the focus away from Haymitch’s journey, but it reinforces how the events of the 50th Games ultimately influenced the world that Katniss and Peeta would later inherit.
The film features a strong ensemble cast that includes Ralph Fiennes, Jesse Plemons, Elle Fanning, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Mckenna Grace, Maya Hawke, and more. Francis Lawrence returns as director, continuing his long-running connection to the franchise. Producers Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson, who have been part of the Hunger Games films from the beginning, are also back on board.
With high-profile casting and a story that connects two eras of Panem, Sunrise on the Reaping is shaping up to be one of Lionsgate’s biggest releases for next year. The film is scheduled to hit theaters on November 20, 2026, giving fans plenty of time to revisit the series and prepare for a story that blends fresh perspectives with the familiar faces that defined the original saga.