It’s been a decade since Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson were in a in a Hunger Games film. But Deadline has confirmed the pair is preparing for a return to Panem for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, a prequel set 24 years before Katniss’s story began. Francis Lawrence, who has directed every Hunger Games film since Catching Fire (2013), will return to helm the project.
We’ve confirmed that ‘Hunger Games’ canon stars Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson are returning for Lionsgate’s next prequel ‘Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping.’
While the prequel is set in the world of Panem 24 years before the events of ‘The Hunger Games,’ there’s a… pic.twitter.com/GIi9Cl9HMJ
— Deadline (@DEADLINE) December 11, 2025
Suzanne Collins’s latest novel in The Hunger Games series features an epilogue in which Haymitch Abernathy recounts his first time in the games to Katniss and Peeta. There’s no word yet on whether Woody Harrelson will return as Haymitch, or how much screen time we can expect for Lawrence and Hutcherson.
A Brief History of The Hunger Games
Joseph Zada will play the 16-year-old Haymitch fighting his way through the arena. Fans will remember that Haymitch eventually becomes the mentor to Katniss and Peeta, though he didn’t discuss his experience in the Games. Whether Lawrence and Hutcherson will appear in bookends, just an epilogue, or (as this writer hopes) throughout the film in a Princess Bride-style framing device, is something enthusiasts will likely be discussing until the film’s release.
Katniss and Peeta Training in Hunger Games – Lionsgate
The Hunger Games was published in 2008, propelling the young adult (YA) genre boom that arguably started with Twilight. Collins, who began her writing career in television, crafted novels that could easily be brought to screen. Five Hunger Games have been adapted to film so far, the first four of which starred Lawrence and Hutcherson. Together, they have surpassed $3.3 billion at the worldwide box office.
A Star-Making Turn for Lawrence and Hutcherson
Prior to The Hunger Games, Lawrence had appeared in the critically-acclaimed Winter’s Bone, for which she received an Academy Award nomination. And the year before she took on the role of Katniss Everdeen, she played Mystique in X-Men: First Class. But The Hunger Games made her an instantly recognizable A-list actress. She was recently nominated for her seventh Golden Globe, making this return to the franchise that made her a star that much more noteworthy.
Katniss and Peeta together in Hunger Games – Lionsgate
Josh Hutcherson had already appeared in one literary adaptation, 2007’s Bridge to Terabithia (two, if we count Journey to the Center of the Earth with Brendan Fraser). He also appeared in Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant (2009), another YA novel-to-film adaptation that was ultimately a box office disappointment. After The Hunger Games, Hutcherson pursued lower-profile work. However, his leading role in the Five Nights at Freddy’s franchise has put him back in the spotlight.
Returning to Panem
The rest of the cast for Sunrise on the Reaping is filled with big stars playing familiar characters. Elle Fanning will take over for Elizabeth Banks as a young Effie Trinket. Coriolanus Snow, who will be played by Ralph Fiennes, was portrayed by Donald Sutherland in the original films and Tom Blyth in the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Other major cast members include Glenn Close, Maya Hawke, and McKenna Grace.
Honor Gillies as Barb Azure, Konstantin Taffet as Clerk Carmine and Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Photo Credit: Murray Close
One character who is not returning is Rachel Zegler’s Lucy Gray Baird, who would be around 80 years old during the events of Sunrise on the Reaping.
The novel came out in March and is currently at #14 on the Amazon Charts. With Lawrence and Hutcherson confirmed to return, Sunrise on the Reaping should enjoy a large built-in audience and strong momentum heading into its Nov. 20, 2026 release.
How do you feel about Lawrence and Hutcherson reprising their Hunger Games roles for a prequel? Let us know in the comments!
