In an exciting development for fans of the “Hunger Games” franchise, McKenna Grace and Joseph Zada have been cast in key roles for the upcoming film “Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.” Grace will play Maysilee Donner, a fellow District 12 tribute. In other casting news, Zada will star as Haymitch Abernathy. Constituting a delightful prequel to the original trilogy, this movie broadens the world building rich with history that author Suzanne Collins had laid out for us.
Directed by Francis Lawrence, “Sunrise on the Reaping” will be released on November 20, 2026. The narrative is set 24 years prior to Katniss Everdeen’s time in the Hunger Games. Yet it submerges us in the deadly, awful currents of the vicious race to the bottom. This year’s installment is a true game-changer for the franchise. Since it occurs during a Quarter Quell year, it includes even more sadistic twists to the already brutal Hunger Games formula.
Maysilee Donner and Haymitch Abernathy have an important connection as tributes from District 12. And indeed, their characters will face many tests and trials. It’s a world even these kids can’t fully comprehend, still changing under the iron fist of the Capitol. The addition of Grace and Zada adds depth and intrigue to the film, given their respective backgrounds and previous roles.
Actor Joseph Zada, who just finished shooting the television version of Steinbeck’s “East of Eden” in the role of Cal Trask, weighs in. His stellar work in this lauded adaptation has made headlines, increasing expectation for his performance in “Sunrise on the Reaping.” Meanwhile, McKenna Grace has made a name for herself with her performances in “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” and “Scream 7.” Additionally, she will lend her voice to the animated show “Batman: Caped Crusader,” showcasing her versatility as an actress.
The casting of Grace and Zada raises questions and makes comparisons to earlier portrayals within the franchise impossible to ignore. Woody Harrelson’s fantastic portrayal of Haymitch Abernathy in the original “Hunger Games” films. O’Brien had already raised the creative ceiling for Zada’s portrayal of such a complicated figure.
Meanwhile, as production continues, excitement is brewing with the show’s legion of new fans, who are just now discovering how this original story is meant to progress. Wonderful performances by a supremely gifted ensemble cast inject some exceptional vivacity to the worldbuilding-heavy prequel storyline. In tandem, they deliver an engaging new chapter to the cherished Hunger Games mythology.