Even though Lionsgate announced the development of Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping last summer, director Francis Lawrence explains why casting for a young Haymitch has only just started. It came as a big surprise last June when a prequel novel about Haymitch’s 50th Hunger Games was being written by series author Suzanne Collins. The studio simultaneously confirmed that Sunrise on the Reaping would also be adapted into a movie, setting the release for November 20, 2026. This sparked many rumors and fan casting about who would portray the young Haymitch after Woody Harrelson portrayed the older version in the original Hunger Games trilogy.

While speaking with Entertainment Tonight at CinemaCon 2025, Lawrence revealed that he received the manuscript of Sunrise on the Reaping about a year ago and called it one of his favorite books in the novel series. He expressed his excitement at returning to the world, which meant telling one of the best stories. Read his comment below:

Honestly, I read the manuscript originally about a year ago, and when I read it, I fell in love with it and I think it’s one of, if not, my favorite book in the series and so I think just coming back to a family that we’ve built and to a world we’ve built and certain characters and certain crew members and my producer Nina and working with Suzanne that’s all great but I think going back in and telling what I think is one of her best stories within the franchise is really exciting.

When asked whether a young Haymitch had been cast, the director responded that the process had just started, explaining that the book not being released led to a lockdown in secrets and limitations in making any movie progress. Now that the novel has been released, the restraints are over, and the casting is underway.

We’re just getting started. We were a little handcuffed because the book wasn’t out and we were under like lockdown with you know secrets and things like that, but the book’s now out and we have full freedom and so cast is well underway.

What Lawrence’s Casting Update Means For Sunrise On The Reaping

This Dispels Any Casting Rumors About Haymitch Within The Last Year

Firstly, Lawrence’s casting update is not far off from producer Nina Jacobson’s comment. Last month, she shared a similar update about the lack of casting and reading actors due to fear of potential leaks about the book’s content. With the novel now released, it makes sense why the movie’s development hasn’t started until recently, since there is new insight into what really happened during the Second Quarter Quell. This even includes Haymitch’s relationship with familiar characters in the Hunger Games franchise.

Jacobson pointed out that a casting condition for a young Haymitch is that it shouldn’t be impersonating Harrelson’s performance. This is also valid since the protagonist has a rebellious mentality when he enters the 50th Hunger Games compared to his defeated persona when he meets Katniss and Peeta 24 years later. The additional confirmation from Lawrence also means that any previous casting rumors about Haymitch have all been dispelled. For instance, a few months after the movie’s announcement, there were swirling reports that West Side Story‘s Mike Faist was cast as the District 12 victor.

Despite the lack of casting confirmation, there is already high anticipation about who would play key characters like Haymitch, Maysilee Donner, and Lenore Dove. Part of the casting process will likely require casting readings and a chemistry test, which will be key to setting the emotional impact of Haymitch’s story. It will also be a huge priority for Lawrence and his team, as he confirmed at CinemaCon that the movie will start filming this coming July. That means that the main casting should be finalized at some point before that start window, which could happen sometime in May or June.

Our Take On Lawrence’s Sunrise On The Reaping Update

Trust The Process!

Although it may seem concerning that there is no confirmed casting yet for Sunrise on the Reaping, I also get why there were worries about potential spoilers and leaks before the novel’s release. The novel has shocking revelations about Haymitch’s story, so the last thing that anyone needed was the emotional impact of those details being reduced to leaks. While I appreciate the team’s efforts not to spoil the content, it also spells a challenge as finalizing the casting would be тιԍнт ahead of its filming.

Still, I have complete trust in Lawrence and Jacobson since they have collaborated on all but the first Hunger Games movie. Based on their comments, it seems that they have already set some criteria for choosing a young Haymitch. It’s worth noting that this is the same duo that did a fine job casting Corionalus Snow and Lucy Gray Baird with Tom Blyth and Rachel Zegler in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Thus, I expect nothing less for Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, which only excites me to see who they pick as the young Haymitch.

Source: ET