Lionsgate has officially unveiled a new promotional featurette for the upcoming film The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. Released on Saturday, July 4, the video provides fans with their first substantial look at Joseph Zada, who takes on the role of a young Haymitch Abernathy, a character originally portrayed by Woody Harrelson in the franchise’s main series.
According to Deadline, the featurette was released in celebration of the character’s birthday and the fictional ‘Reaping Day.’ The footage highlights the dynamic between the young Haymitch and his girlfriend, Lenore Dove Baird, played by Whitney Peak. The dialogue offers a glimpse into the grim atmosphere of Panem, with Haymitch remarking on the inescapable nature of the Reaping.
Director Francis Lawrence and producer Nina Jacobson appear alongside Zada in the promo, discussing the development of the character and the film’s narrative scope. The ensemble cast also includes notable names such as Elle Fanning, McKenna Grace, Ben Wang, Jesse Plemons, Glenn Close, and Ralph Fiennes.
Sunrise on the Reaping is based on Suzanne Collins’ latest novel and is penned by screenwriter Billy Ray. The film is set 24 years before the events of the original Hunger Games trilogy, focusing specifically on the morning of the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell. The film is scheduled for theatrical release on November 20, 2026.