EXCLUSIVE: Lionsgate‘s The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping has closed deals for its first two leads, enlisting Joseph Zada for the role of Haymitch Abernathy, Tribute from District 12, with Whitney Peak to play Haymitch’s girlfriend, Lenore Dove Baird.
As you’ll recall, Haymitch is the character played earlier in the Hunger Games franchise by Woody Harrelson. The rumor mill around casting for the project has gone into overdrive in recent weeks, with Zada and Peak’s roles being two of the most sought after among young actors in recent memory.
“The Hunger Games franchise has long been a launching pad for remarkable young actors, and Jo and Whitney carry that legacy forward with incredible heart, depth, and fire,” said Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Co-President Erin Westerman. “After auditioning hundreds of gifted performers from around the world, these two stood out—not just for their talent, but for the emotional truth they brought to these iconic roles. Haymitch has always been a fan favorite, and his origin story is one of the most anticipated in the franchise. His relationship with Lenore Dove is deeply woven into the emotional history of Panem. We can’t wait for fans to experience the story that shaped one of the most compelling characters in the series.”
Added producer Nina Jacobson of Color Force, “Deb Zane and Dylan Jury oversaw an exhaustive (and exhausting!) search to find a young actor with the skill and imagination to embody young Haymitch. Jo prepared like crazy and stole our hearts. Then Whitney took our breath away as Lenore Dove. When we put the two of them together, it was one of those magical casting moments when you know your search has led you home.”
Based on the bestselling dystopian YA novel by Suzanne Collins, published on March 18, Sunrise on the Reaping revisits the world of Panem 24 years before the events of The Hunger Games, starting on the morning of the reaping of the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell. The story centers on 16-year-old Haymitch, a clever and resourceful boy from District 12, who’s unexpectedly chosen for this edition of the games, which will feature a deadly twist: twice the number of tributes, with 48 children sent into the arena to battle for their lives.
Francis Lawrence will direct from a script by Billy Ray. Color Force’s Jacobson and Brad Simpson will produce, with Cameron MacConomy exec producing. Meredith Wieck and Scott O’Brien are overseeing the project for Lionsgate, for whom Robert Melnik negotiated the deals. Slated for release on November 20, 2026, the new film comes on the heels of five installments in the franchise that have grossed over $3.3 billion worldwide.
Currently playing the lead role of Charlie in the Stan Australia Original Series Invisible Boys, based on the bestselling novel by Holden Sheppard, Zada will next be seen starring in Prime Video’s series We Were Liars, which premieres this June. Most recently, he completed production for Zoe Kazan’s Netflix series East of Eden, where he stars alongside Florence Pugh, Mike Faist and more. He is repped by CAA, Untitled Entertainment, RGM and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman.
Best known for starring in Max’s Gossip Girl reboot and Hocus Pocus 2, Peak will next be seen as the lead in Sony’s upcoming shark thriller Shiver opposite Phoebe Dynevor, as well as alongside Liam Neeson and Teresa Palmer in 4 Kids Walk into a Bank for Amazon MGM’s Orion. She is is repped by CAA, Canopy Media Partners, Play Management, and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.
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