Overview

• Joseph Zada will portray young Haymitch Abernathy, with Whitney Peak cast as Lenore Dove Baird, his love interest, in the prequel set during the Second Quarter Quell.
• Mckenna Grace joins the cast as Maysilee Donner, the other District 12 tribute, while Jesse Plemons has been cast as Plutarch Heavensbee, previously portrayed by Philip Seymour Hoffman.
• Francis Lawrence returns to direct, with Billy Ray adapting the screenplay and Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson producing, ensuring continuity with previous films in the franchise.
• The film, based on Suzanne Collins' record-breaking novel, explores Haymitch's traumatic experiences in the 50th Hunger Games and his evolution into a fan-favorite character.
• Scheduled for November 20, 2026, the prequel builds on the Hunger Games franchise's $3.3 billion global success and tradition of launching emerging talent.