Maya Hawke cast in major role in ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’
Maya Hawke is the latest addition to the upcoming Hunger Games movie, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.
Last month, it was confirmed that emerging actors Joseph Zada and Whitney Peak would play the lead roles in the forthcoming movie. Jesse Plemons was later revealed to have secured a role in the project as the young Plutarch Heavensbee, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman in the initial film series.
Meanwhile, Zada will star as District 12 tribute Haymitch Abernathy while Peak will portray his girlfriend Lenore Dove Baird.
The upcoming feature is based on Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games book of the same name, set 40 years after the prequel The Ballads of Songbirds & Snakes, but 24 years before the initial Hunger Games series.
Deadline reports that Hawke will play Wiress, a former Hunger Games champion turned District 12 mentor, in the upcoming movie. Additionally, McKenna Grace will portray Maysilee Donner, and Kelvin Harrison Jr has been cast as Beetee.
Hawke, who is also a successful musical artist, is best known for her performance as Robin on Netflix’s Stranger Things, as well as roles in Inside Out 2, Maestro, Wildcat and Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will be released on November 20th, 2026, and Francis Lawrence will return to the director’s chair.
Lionsgate Motion Picture Group co-president Erin Westerman previously proudly said of the casting of relative unknowns Zada and Peak: “The Hunger Games franchise has long been a launching pad for remarkable young actors, and Jo and Whitney carry that legacy forward with incredible heart, depth, and fire.”
Westerman elaborated on the thorough auditioning process: “After auditioning hundreds of gifted performers from around the world, these two stood out — not just for their talent, but for the emotional truth they brought to these iconic roles. Haymitch has always been a fan favorite, and his origin story is one of the most anticipated in the franchise. His relationship with Lenore Dove is deeply woven into the emotional history of Panem.”
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