Highlights
- Lionsgate has announced two actors to play the leads in its upcoming adaptation of The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.
- Joseph Zada has been tapped to play a young Haymitch Abernathy, while Whitney Peak will portray Lenore Dove Baird, his girlfriend.
- The highly anticipated film is set to release next year.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping
Lionsgate isn’t wasting any time with its adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ bestselling YA dystopian novel, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. Collins’ novel hit bookshelves on March 18, and two weeks later, we got a teaser and release date for the aforementioned adaptation.
Now, we have our two leads. Joseph Zada will step into the role of young Haymitch Abernathy. Whitney Peak will play Haymitch’s girlfriend, Lenore Dove Baird.
RELATED: The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping Film Adaptation Gets New Teaser and Release Date
Joseph Zada
Zada is a relative newcomer to the industry. He stars in the Stan Original Series Invisible Boys as Charlie Roth, which debuted all 10 episodes of its first season on February 12. He’ll also star as Johnny Sinclair in Prime Video’s mystery thriller We Were Liars, which is poised to hit the streamer on June 18. In addition to Sunrise on the Reaping, Zada’s future credits include an East of Eden miniseries opposite Florence Pugh.
Whitney Peak
Whitney Peak is most known for starring in Max’s Gossip Girl continuation as Zoya Lott. She also recurred on Chilling Adventures of Sabrina as Judith and Apple TV+’s Home Before Dark as Alpha Jessica. On the film front, she starred as Becca in Disney+’s Hocus Pocus 2. Peak’s upcoming credits include horror flick Eye for an Eye and the 2026 thriller Shiver opposite Djimon Hounsou.
RELATED: The Hunger Games: A Reflection on a Powerful YA Series
Here’s a synopsis of Sunrise on the Reaping per Deadline:
“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 directs from a script written by Billy Ray. Nina Jacobson produces alongside Brad Simpson.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping hits theaters on November 20, 2026.
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
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