The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping Cast Adds Glenn Close & More
Update: Lionsgate has made it official that Glenn Close has been added to the Sunrise on the Reaping cast as Drusilla Sickle, who is “the cruel escort to the District 12 Tributes.” Additionally, three-time Tony award winner Billy Porter will play Magno Stift, Sickle’s estranged husband and the Tributes’ designer.
Producer Nina Jacobson said, “Glenn Close is a dream Drusilla. She brings so much of her intellect and imagination to each role, creating characters who are unforgettable and iconic. I think Glenn and Francis will have a ball bringing Drusilla from the page to the screen.”
Original (May 13, 2025): Lionsgate has officially enlisted a BAFTA-nominated actor to join the Sunrise on the Reaping cast for its next Hunger Games prequel movie. It will center around Panem’s Second Quarter Quell, where a young Haymitch Abernathy gets chosen as one of District 12’s tributes. The movie is currently scheduled to arrive in theaters on November 20, 2026.
Who is joining the Sunrise on the Reaping cast?
Mufasa star Kelvin Harrison Jr. has been tapped to portray Beetee, originally introduced during Catching Fire. He was the champion of the 34th Hunger Games and will serve as the mentor to his son Ampert Latier after he is chosen as the District 3 tribute for the 50th Hunger Games. The character was originally portrayed by Westworld star Jeffrey Wright in the main film franchise.
According to The InSneider, Oscar nominee Glenn Close has reportedly entered negotiations to join the newest Hunger Games movie. Further details about her potential character are still under wraps.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will be directed by Francis Lawrence from a screenplay written by Billy Ray. Harrison will be joining previously announced cast members Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy, Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird, Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner, and Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee. Color Force’s Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson will be producing, with Cameron MacConomy set as an executive producer.
The character of Haymitch Abernathy was originally portrayed by Woody Harrelson in the film franchise. Unlike The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, fans already have an idea of what to expect from the upcoming prequel novel since 2009’s Catching Fire had mentioned key details about how Haymitch won his game, which featured 48 tributes rather than 24, while Katniss and Peeta were preparing for their own Quarter Quell.
Source: Comingsoon.net