More tributes revealed for ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ as Laura Marcus, Percy Daggs IV, and Rada Rae join the cast

Lionsgate's The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping brings a new update as the prequel gears up to complete its ensemble cast. The project was first announced on June 6, 2024, and will be the second prequel in The Hunger Games series after The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. It will explore Panem 24 years before the Katniss Everdeen saga

In an exclusive, published on Friday, June 20, 2025, Variety revealed the new set of cast members joining the film. Here's the list of the new set of tributes entering the arena for the 50th Hunger Games:

• Laura Marcus
• Percy Daggs IV
• Rada Rae

The news of the latest addition to the cast list came just days after Jhaleil Swaby was announced as part of the film on Tuesday, June 17, 2025. One day before that, Lionsgate added eight-time Oscar-nominated actor Glenn Close and three-time Tony winner Billy Porter to the roster.

They will join the previously confirmed The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping cast members. These include Kieran Culkin, Ralph Finnes, Elle Fanning, McKenna Grace, Kelvin Harrison Jr, Maya Hawke, Jesse Plemons, Lili Taylor, Whitney Peak, Joseph Zada, and Ben Wang.

More to know about The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping and its new cast members

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is set 24 years before Katniss Everdeen's story started in the original Hunger Games trilogy. It's the 50th Hunger Games in Panem, aka the Second Quarter Quell, and at the center of the story is Haymitch Abernathy.

Read more: What roles will Glenn Close and Billy Porter play in Sunrise of the Reaping?

Woody Harrelson played the older version of him in the trilogy, but in the prequel, the 16-year-old from District 12 will be played by Joseph Zada. There will be twice as many tributes in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping compared to the trilogy to mark the Games' 50th anniversary. Some of the recently announced cast members will be part of the games.

The Lake actor Jhaleil Swaby has been cast as Panache, one of the four tributes from District 1. His character is described as crude and aggressive, which is expected to add to the thrill and deadly twist to the games. Joining him as a tribute from District 1 is Andor star Laura Marcus, who will be playing Silka.

Rada Rae, who recently starred in House of David and Nine Perfect Strangers, will head to the games as a District 6 tribute, Wellie. Meanwhile, Never Let Go actor Percy Daggs IV is the son of Beetee, the victor from District 3 during the 34th Hunger Games, played by Jeffrey Wright in the trilogy. He will follow in his father's footsteps as one of the tributes from their district for the 50th Hunger Games.

Billy Ray will be writing the screenplay adaptation, and Francis Lawrence, who directed the trilogy and the first prequel, will return to direct Sunrise on the Reaping. It marks Ray's return to the franchise after writing the script for the first The Hunger Games movie.

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is set to premiere in cinemas on November 20, 2026.

Edited by Madhur Dave