An adaptation of Sunshine on the Reaping, the prequel to The Hunger Games, may be in the works, but producers are yet to find their young Haymitch.
Suzanne Collins’ novel, which was released earlier this week, tells the story of Haymitch Abernathy during the 50th edition of the games, charting his journey that would eventually see him become an ally of Katniss Everdeen.
Following the relative success of The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, which focused on the origins of Coriolanus Snow, it was subsequently announced that an adaptation of Sunshine on the Reaping was in the works, though the role of the central character is yet to be cast.
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Following the publication of the novel, film producer Nina Jacobson spoke to Variety about the upcoming adaptation, sharing that they are looking for an actor who can offer more than a mere imitation of Woody Harrelson’s performance from the original series.
“It’s an interesting challenge,” said Jacobson. “Because of this early manuscript not being published, we haven’t even been able to read actors for fear that sides could leak! We’ve been holding our breath for a long time.
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“I think that what we’re looking for in that role is, you don’t want somebody who’s impersonating Woody, but you want somebody who very credibly feels like they could be a young version of this character, before the trauma and grief and rage that the fallout of the Games create.
“Nobody can be Woody Harrelson but Woody Harrelson. But you have to find that mischief that he has in him inherently and try to understand, if you turn back time from the man you meet at the beginning of The Hunger Games, who he was before all of that, and why he became that.”
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Jacobson, who has produced all five films in the series, continued by declaring the part as a “great role”, adding: “One of the things that’s so unusual about this is that very rarely does a franchise give an actor a chance to really show their chops and the range that they have.
“But these roles do. We’ve been blessed with very sophisticated actors in our roles. They draw in and attract real acting talent, because her [Collins’s] characters are so deep, the ideas are so powerful. It’s a franchise that is still really rooted in incredible character trauma.”
Sunrise on the Reaping, a new Hunger Games prequel movie, will open in cinemas on November 20, 2026. The book of the same name is out now and available to buy here.
Read more Hunger Games news on our dedicated homepage
Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media. His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.
