Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson Will Return in The Hunger Games: Sunrise of the Reaping

Lionsgate has officially confirmed that the stars of the original Hunger Games series — Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson — will appear on screen once again. They will join the upcoming prequel, set to premiere in theaters on November 20, 2026.

Lawrence will reprise her role as Katniss Everdeen, and Hutcherson will once again play Peeta Mellark. Their involvement is described as “likely a flash-forward appearance,” meaning a scene from the future, though Lionsgate is not revealing details. The original book — and the first film — take place 24 years after the events of Sunrise.

The film is directed by Francis Lawrence — the filmmaker behind three of the original entries and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The cast already includes Ralph Fiennes as President Snow, Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Beetee, Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman, and Elle Fanning as a new version of Effie Trinket. Also appearing are Glenn Close, Maya Hawke, Mckenna Grace, and Whitney Peak.

The plot is based on the book by Suzanne Collins and unfolds on the morning of the Reaping before the 50th Hunger Games, 24 years before the first novel. For Lionsgate, this is a chance to recapture the success of a franchise that grossed more than $3.3 billion worldwide.

Lawrence and Hutcherson last appeared in the series in Mockingjay – Part 2 in 2015, where the story of their characters concluded. Now audiences will witness a rare return of the original faces in a prequel set long before the events of the main saga.