Everything to Know About The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping Film

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Scholastic Press

This book is a prequel to The Hunger Games and takes place 24 years prior to when readers first met Katniss Everdeen.

The story opens on the morning of the reaping (the event where tributes from each district are chosen to compete) of the 50th Hunger Games (a.k.a. the Second Quarter Quell).

"As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem," the description on author Suzanne Collins' website reads. "This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes. Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves."

Hugh Stewart

Taking on the lead role of District 12 tribute Haymitch Abernathy is Joseph Zada. In the earlier Hunger Games movies, this part was played by Woody Harrelson.

However, this isn't the first time fans have seen Joseph on their screens. The actor's past credits include We Were Liars, Invisible Boys, Total Control and The Speedway Murders.

Kate Whyte

Whitney Peak is playing Haymitch's girlfriend Lenore Dove Baird.

Over the years, the actress has appeared in TV shows like the Gossip Girl revival, Home Before Dark and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina as well as in movies, including Campfire Kiss, Molly's Game and Hocus Pocus 2.

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Gracing the screen as fellow District 12 tribute Maysilee Donner is Mckenna Grace.

Fans have watched the actress grow up onscreen through her appearances on the Disney sitcom Crash & Bernstein, the soap opera The Young and the Restless and the film Gifted (her performance earning her a Critics Choice Award).

Also among her lengthy list of credits are movies like I, Tonya, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Annabelle Comes Homes and The Bad Seed. Mckenna has also acted on TV shows like The Haunting of Hill House and The Handmaid's Tale (receiving an Emmy nod for the latter).

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While the late Philip Seymour Hoffman played Plutarch Heavensbee in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire as well as in parts one and two of Mockingjay, Jesse Plemons is taking on the role of the future Head Gamemaker and rebellion leader for this movie.

And the actor isn't playing games when it comes to his performances. Throughout his career, Jesse has earned an Oscar nomination for his role in The Power of the Dog as well as Emmy nods for his parts in Love & Death, Black Mirror and Fargo, where he met his longtime love Kirsten Dunst.

His other credits include Killers of the Flower Moon, The Irishman, Battleship and Breaking Bad.

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Kelvin Harrison Jr. is taking on the part of Beetee, who's not only the winner of the 34th Hunger Games but also the father of 50th Games tribute Ampert Latier. In previous Hunger Games movies, Jeffrey Wright performed the role.

While fans have certainly seen Kelvin in movies and TV shows—such as Genius, Chevalier, Waves, Luce and It Comes at Night to name a few—they've also heard his voiceover work in animated films like Mufasa: The Lion King.

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Once you hear Maya Hawke is playing Wiress (a former Hunger Games winner, now District 12 mentor, played by Amanda Plummer in Catching Fire), you might get so excited you'll feel like your world is turned upside down.

The actress—who's following in the famous footsteps of her parents Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke—has previously played Jo March in the TV adaptation of Little Women, Eleanor in Do Revenge, Anxiety in Inside Out 2 and, of course, Robin in Stranger Things.

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Originally played by the late Lynn Cohen in Catching Fire, the part of former-Hunger-Games-victor-turned-District-12-mentor Mags is now being portrayed by Lili Taylor.

An Emmy nominee for her roles in American Crime and Six Feet Under, the actress has also appeared in The Conjuring, Mystic Pizza, Say Anything and I Shot Andy Warhol to name a few credits on a long list.

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Also among the District 12 tributes is Wyatt Callow, who is portrayed by Ben Wang.

In addition to being cast in the newest Hunger Games film, the actor has appeared in Karate Kid: Legends, the movie musical version of Mean Girls, Good Egg, Sight and American Born Chinese.

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Ralph Fiennes is ruling over Panem as its dictator President Snow, a role previously played by Tom Blyth in The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes and the late Donald Sutherland in Catching Fire and both parts of Mockingjay.

The actor is a three-time Oscar nominee—being recognized for his roles in Conclave, The English Patient and Schindler's List—and a seven-time BAFTA contender, also receiving praise for his work in The Grand Budapest Hotel, Coriolanus, The Constant Gardener and The End Of The Affair. Plus, Ralph was up for an Emmy for his role in Bernard And Doris.

Courtesy Molly McCann

Molly McCann plays Louella, another District 12 tribute.

The actress has already built up quite the résumé, appearing in TV shows like Bad Sisters, The Hardacres, The Boy That Never Was and Star Wars: Visions. As for her film credits, they include Herself, Freelance, Never Grow Old and Feed.

Tim Steele

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The answer to who is playing Effie Trinket isn't completely unknown.

While Elizabeth Banks performed the part in previous Hunger Game movies, Elle Fanning is now stepping into the shoes of this character (who, in Sunrise on the Reaping, is a stylist for Haymitch Abernathy ahead of the 50th Games).

First appearing on screen alongside sister Dakota Fanning in 2001's I Am Sam, the actress has gone on to star in several more movies, including Maleficent, Somewhere, Super 8, The Beguiled and A Complete Unknown.

On the TV side, Elle has acted in The Girl from Plainville as well as in The Great (earning an Emmy nomination for the latter).

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While Stanley Tucci portrayed Hunger Games host Caesar Flickerman in the previous films, the franchise has found his successor for the role in Kieran Culkin. 

After making his acting debut as a kid in brother Macaulay Culkin's Home Alone, the actor went on to appear in movies like Father of the Bride, She's All That and Igby Goes Down. And while Kieran took a break from the craft, he came back to star in movies and TV shows like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Infinity Baby, Succession and A Real Pain, which landed him his first Oscar.
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Francis Lawrence has his playbook all set, having previously directed The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Mockingjay parts one and two.

Outside the franchise, he's helmed movies like Slumberland, See and Jennifer Lawrence's Red Sparrow as well as directed music videos for artists like Beyoncé's "Run the World (Girls)," Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance," Britney Spears' "Circus" and Jennifer Lopez's "Jenny From the Block."

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