As more and more actors get cast in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, a surprising trend has become very clear. The upcoming Sunrise on the Reaping movie, which is currently slated for a November 20, 2026 release, will tell the story of Haymitch Abernathy, who wins the 50th Hunger Games. Sunrise on the Reaping will be the second Hunger Games prequel movie, with 2023’s The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes being the first, and will be based on the recently released novel by author Suzanne Collins.

While The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes followed a young Coriolanus Snow during the tenth Hunger Games, Sunrise on the Reaping jumps 40 years later to tell Haymitch’s story. Since Sunrise on the Reaping is still set over two decades before the first Hunger Games movie, several characters from the main film series will appear in the prequel. However, these characters will obviously be played by different actors. As more casting announcements get made, an unexpected Sunrise on the Reaping casting trend has become very evident.

Sunrise On The Reaping Has Cast The Younger Versions Of Beetee, Mags & Plutarch

Plutarch, Beetee, & Mags All Play Important Roles In Sunrise On The Reaping

Since filming for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is scheduled to begin this summer, more actors are consistently joining the cast. Joseph Zada will play Haymitch in the upcoming prequel, but several other actors have also been cast in important roles. For example, Jesse Plemons will play Plutarch, Kelvin Harrison Jr. will play Beetee, and Lili Taylor will play Mags.

In Sunrise on the Reaping, Plutarch will be a cameraman who comes from a wealthy family and is ᴀssigned to film the District 12 tributes. Meanwhile, Beetee and Mags will both be mentors to the children entering the 50th Hunger Games. Since there are double the amount of tributes in Sunrise on the Reaping, the mentors will play an even more important role in the film. While Mags is directly ᴀssigned to Haymitch and his fellow District 12 tributes, Beetee is not. Despite this, Haymitch and Beetee concoct an interesting plan while preparing for the Hunger Games.

Plemons, Taylor, & Harrison Jr. Casting Has Set A Unique Trend Due To Their Connection With The Original Hunger Games Actors

Plutarch, Beetee, & Mags All Appeared In The Hunger Games Movies

Plutarch, Beetee, and Mags will be important characters to look out for in Sunrise on the Reaping since they all appear in the original Hunger Games movies. Plutarch is one of the leaders of the rebellion in the Hunger Games films, and Beetee and Mags are both part of Katniss’ alliance during the 75th Hunger Games, which is featured in Catching Fire. In the Hunger Games movies, Plutarch was played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Beetee was played by Jeffrey Wright, and Lynn Cohen played Mags.

Interestingly, all three of these actors have played the parents of the actors who have been cast as the young versions of their characters in Sunrise on the Reaping. Hoffman played Plemons’ father in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2012 film The Master, Wright played Harrison Jr.’s father in Netflix’s 2018 movie Monster, and Cohen played Taylor’s mother in the 2015 documentary movie A Woman Like Me, which recreated real-life scenes.

This Connection Proves Why Their SOTR Casting Was Perfect

Sunrise On The Reaping Has An Amazing Cast So Far

The fact that all three of the new actors have once played the children of the original cast members is amazing. Since this has happened three times, it seems like Sunrise on the Reaping’s casting director is looking to the original actor’s previous roles to figure out who should play younger versions of their characters. This is not confirmed, but this is definitely a genius way to approach casting a prequel movie.

Since these three actors have already played the children of the original cast members, I have no doubt that Plemons, Harrison Jr., and Taylor will be amazing in Sunrise on the Reaping. Plemons was already a popular fast casting for a young Plutarch, but Harrison Jr. and Taylor are also both clearly great picks. Therefore, based on this casting trend, I am even more excited for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.