Kelvin Harrison Jr. is stepping into the world of Panem.
Lionsgate has officially cast the Waves and Elvis actor as Beetee Latier in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, the highly anticipated adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ latest bestseller. The film, set to hit theaters November 20, 2026, revisits the world of Panem 24 years before Katniss Everdeen’s revolution — during the 50th Hunger Games, better known as the Second Quarter Quell.
Harrison’s Beetee — a name longtime fans will remember — is the champion of the 34th Hunger Games and the father of Ampert Latier, one of the tributes selected for the brutal Quarter Quell. In the original franchise, the character was memorably portrayed by Jeffrey Wright, beginning in Catching Fire.
This prequel brings together a new generation of actors. Harrison joins previously announced cast members Joseph Zada as young Haymitch Abernathy, Whitney Peak as his love interest Lenore Dove Baird, Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner (another District 12 tribute), and Jesse Plemons as a young Plutarch Heavensbee.
And if that wasn’t enough star power, industry buzz says Glenn Close is circling a mystery role in the project — though no deal has been finalized yet.
Francis Lawrence, who directed all but the first Hunger Games film, returns to the helm, working from a script by Billy Ray. Color Force’s Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson are producing, with Cameron MacConomy executive producing. Meredith Wieck and Scott O’Brien oversee the project for Lionsgate.
The Sunrise on the Reaping novel was released in March and wasted no time making waves. It sold 1.5 million copies in its first week — including 1.2 million in the U.S. alone — doubling the debut numbers for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and tripling those of Mockingjay.
Harrison Jr., who continues to prove himself one of Hollywood’s most versatile young talents, recently voiced Taka (a.k.a. Scar) in Disney’s upcoming Mufasa: The Lion King. He’s also set to star as Jean-Michel Basquiat in Samo Lives, a role he’ll also executive produce. His past work includes standout performances as Fred Hampton in The Trial of the Chicago 7, B.B. King in Elvis, and Dr. King in Nat Geo’s Genius: MLK/X.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping opens with young Plutarch Heavensbee capturing the reaping of tributes in District 12 — a moment that sets the tone for a story steeped in heartbreak, resistance, and legacy. As Haymitch prepares to enter the Games, the stakes are doubled, literally: this Quarter Quell calls for two tributes from each district, not just one.
With a proven director, a stacked creative team, and a cast full of rising and established talent, Sunrise on the Reaping is shaping up to be another must-see chapter in the ever-expanding Hunger Games universe.