On April 2, Lionsgate set the Hunger Games fandom ablaze when it dropped a teaser for the series’ upcoming sixth instalment, Sunrise on the Reaping. The news has left fans across social media pondering one significant question: Who’s joining the cast? We unravel the best and most popular fancasts for Sunrise on the Reaping, plus rumours, potential cameos and returning cast members, and more.
If there’s one author you can trust to break your heart ten ways to Sunday, it’s Suzanne Collins, whose Hunger Games series has gained widespread success with millions of copies sold worldwide. Following President Snow’s villain origin story, A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Collins’ second prequel, Sunrise of the Reaping, chronicles the events of the 50th Annual Hunger Games, a Quarter Quell in which twice the number of tributes are reaped. Three weeks after its release, fans of the series have descended into their feelings — but that’s not all they’re doing.
Fancasts are on the horizon for Sunrise on the Reaping, and some of the most popular have already begun to take root on social media.
Your move, Lionsgate.
With five highly successful films in the Hunger Games franchise to its name, it comes as no surprise that Lionsgate immediately snapped up film rights to Sunrise on the Reaping. Set for release on November 20, 2026, the movie promises a heartrending return to Collins’ post-apocalyptic world, where viewers will experience the 50th Annual Hunger Games from former District 12 victor Haymitch Abernathy’s point of view.
If you’ve finished the book, you already know what’s in store. The only problem is: It’s impossible to not get attached to the host of characters. Interestingly, Collins has filled SoTR with a colourful melange of familiar faces from the original trilogy, leveraging her knack for storytelling to weave compelling connections and reframing what we thought we knew about Haymitch, his games, and the other victors. With numerous former victors making significant appearances in SoTR, it’s anybody’s guess as to who will play them.
There are mild spoilers ahead for Sunrise on the Reaping. Please proceed with caution if you would like to avoid being spoiled.
Are we getting some familiar faces in Sunrise on the Reaping?
Haymitch, Katniss, and Peeta all appear in the epilogue of Sunrise on the Reaping. If Lionsgate wants to create some continuity between SoTR and the original Hunger Games series, bringing back Woody Harrelson, Jennifer Lawrence, and Josh Hutcherson as guests would certainly give fans something to talk about. The return of the original District 12 trio warrants some merit; on February 25, Harrelson and Lawrence were spotted together on the streets of New York City, leaving fans to wonder whether they had been hanging out to discuss the new book and their potential roles in it.
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While Elizabeth Banks’ Effie Trinket does not warrant a mention in the epilogue, her position as a fan-favourite movie character makes a compelling case for her return — perhaps in a brief cameo role? We can only hope.
Yet another familiar face that could make a return is Stanley Tucci, whose performance as presenter and host Caesar Flickerman is still lauded amongst fans of the series today. While SoTR takes place 24 years before the events of The Hunger Games, Flickerman has been described as eternally unchanging, a physical trait that could work in Tucci’s favour should the showrunners decide to bring him back.
Where nepotism is kind of… okay?
Kiefer Sutherland as President Coriolanus Snow
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While rumours are circulating that Ralph Fiennes (Conclave, Harry Potter) has been offered the role of Panem’s chief autocrat, fans of the series are calling for nepotism — just this once. The late Donald Sutherland portrayed the elder Snow to perfection, his nuanced performance striking the perfect balance between calculating, cruel, prideful, and cunning. Fans are now calling for a Sutherland reprisal — that is to say, Kiefer Sutherland, who bears resemblance to his father, thus making him the perfect choice for a middle-aged Snow.
Cooper Hoffman as Plutarch Heavensbee
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Yet another Hunger Games star who has sadly passed, Philip Seymour Hoffman played Capitol undercover rebel and head gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee to great success. Many fans of the series are of the opinion that his son, Cooper Hoffman (Saturday Night, Old Guy) would make the perfect choice for a younger Plutarch, being of believable age for the character while retaining his father’s looks.
Popular TikTok fancasts for Sunrise on the Reaping
Tom Glynn-Carney as Haymitch Abernathy
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While whispers are thick on the ground that Lionsgate has approached Charlie Plummer (Looking for Alaska, The Return) with an offer to play protagonist Haymitch Abernathy, TikTok has other ideas. And no — it’s not Woody Harrelson in a backwards cap with teenage swagger.
Having garnered a huge fan following for his performance as Aegon II Targaryen on HBO’s House of the Dragon, Tom Glynn-Carney is TikTok’s top favourite fancast for Haymitch in Sunrise on the Reaping. In terms of looks, Glynn-Carney bears more than an adequate resemblance to Harrelson, but let’s face it. His devil-may-care aura, chiselled jawline, and performing range easily sets him apart as a viable option.
Sadie Sink or Bailey Bass as Lenore Dove Baird
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It wouldn’t be a novel-to-film adaptation without casting controversy, and Lenore Dove’s potential casting has been fraught with drama from the get-go. In the book, Haymitch’s Covey-born love is described as having dappled green eyes and hair that appears red in the sunlight. While no mention is made of her skin tone, TikTok has already begun to pick apart fancasts, with some fans claiming Sadie Sink (Stranger Things) for their Lenore Dove while others point towards Bailey Bass (A Gift of Murder, Avatar: The Way of Water) as the better option.
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Age-wise, both Sink, 22, and Bass, 21, are great choices. However, if it is true that Lenore Dove is the daughter of Maude Ivory (who is portrayed with lighter skin in A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes) then Sink would better fit the physical description. On the flip side, If the showrunners wished to highlight Lenore Dove’s connection to Lucy Gray Baird, Bass would be the better choice, providing representation and a unique thread of continuity.
McKenna Grace as Maysilee Donner
With numerous ‘hear me outs’ on TikTok proclaiming Sabrina Carpenter the perfect fancast for District 12 tribute Maysilee Donner, it does not seem unlikely that the newly minted Grammy winner will make her Panem debut any time soon. While Carpenter, who is currently on her Short n’ Sweet world tour certainly fits the bill on the physical front, her look has been regarded as ‘too modern’ for District 12.
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Enter McKenna Grace. Leveraging bold style, sass, and sharp wit, Grace is widely regarded as the most popular fancast for Maysilee Donner on TikTok. Her striking looks and blonde hair all lend credence to her potential as Maysilee, a merchant’s daughter whose pride, biting intelligence, and penchant for fashion has endeared her to readers.
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Interestingly, Grace also bears a striking resemblance to fellow actress Kiernan Shipka, a fact that fuels her viability for the role; notably, Maysilee has a twin sister, Merrilee, a role for which Shipka would be perfect.
Lela Hoffmeister as Louella McCoy
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Like many other young adult shows, the Hunger Games served as an incredible launching platform for numerous unknown, young talents. The same could certainly ring true for Sunrise on the Reaping, particularly for the character of District 12 tribute Louella McCoy. Louella, who is described as having a heart-shaped face, large gray eyes, and long dark braids, has quickly become a fan favourite character. While she is sadly relegated to a place once held by Rue in the original Hunger Games series, fans are nonetheless excited to see her distinct Seam upbringing brought to life, with many pointing to Abbott Elementary star Lela Hoffmeister as a popular fancast choice.
Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket
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With her trademark quirky charm, ethereal aura, and delightfully Capitol features, Elle Fanning (A Complete Unknown, The Great) has quickly become a popular fancast for a younger Effie Trinket in Sunrise on the Reaping. From her pale blonde hair to her fair skin tone, Fanning is Effie incarnate, and fans believe her nuance and depth will serve her well in bringing the up-and-coming stylist and future District 12 escort to life.
Dakota Fanning as Proserpina Trinket
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Yet another family connection that fans can’t help but support, Dakota Fanning has become a favourite fancast for Proserpina Trinket, Effie’s younger sister and stylist to the District 12 tributes.
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While Dakota Fanning is older than her sister Elle, fans of the series agree that her wide-eyed innocence makes a compelling case for the role of the younger Trinket sister.
Ravi Cabot-Conyers as Ampert Latier
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Among the most tragic and heartbreaking storylines of Sunrise on the Reaping, Ampert Latier is the son of former District 3 victor and rebel Beetee Latier. A twelve-year-old described as being less than five feet tall, Ampert is reaped as punishment when it is discovered that his father, Beetee, had come up with a plan to sabotage the Capitol communication system.
Bearing the weight of his father’s transgressions against the Capitol, Ampert faces his impending death in the arena with courage beyond his years, while his quiet confidence and unrelenting dedication to the rebel cause is difficult to ignore. A popular fancast to play Ampert in Sunrise on the Reaping is 14-year-old Ravi Cabot-Conyers, whose work on Encanto (2021) and Star Wars: Skeleton Crew (2024 – 2025) more than qualifies him for the role. Physically, Cabot-Conyers matches Ampert’s description to perfection, with an intelligent glint in his eyes that seems perfectly suited for playing the District 3 tribute.
Ellen Pompeo as Mags Flanagan
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