The Capitol’s casting games are officially underway — and Whitney Peak just secured a coveted spot in Panem’s cinematic history.
Lionsgate has tapped the Gossip Girl breakout to lead The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, the second prequel film in the franchise. She’ll play Lenore Dove Baird, a key figure in the origin story of one of Panem’s most iconic characters: Haymitch Abernathy.
Joining her in the arena (literally and emotionally) is rising actor Joseph Zada, cast as young Haymitch — the same character famously played by Woody Harrelson in the original films. But this version of Haymitch is 16, clever, unseasoned, and about to be thrown into the Capitol’s deadliest twist yet: the 50th Hunger Games, better known as the Second Quarter Quell.
Set 24 years before Katniss Everdeen volunteers as tribute, Sunrise on the Reaping dives deep into the trauma and triumph that turned Haymitch into the scarred, sardonic mentor we met back in 2012. And through Lenore, we get to witness not just the political, but the personal stakes — something the filmmakers are leaning into.
“Jo prepared like crazy and stole our hearts,” said longtime franchise producer Nina Jacobson. “Then Whitney took our breath away as Lenore. When we put the two of them together, it was one of those casting moments that just felt like destiny.”
This isn’t just a new chapter — it’s an emotional excavation. Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Co-President Erin Westerman called the pair’s performances “full of heart, depth, and fire,” adding, “Haymitch has always been a fan favorite, and his relationship with Lenore is deeply woven into the emotional fabric of Panem. We can’t wait for audiences to see what shaped him.”
Francis Lawrence — who has directed every Hunger Games film since Catching Fire — returns to direct, with a screenplay by Billy Ray. The film is set for release on November 20, 2026.
Based on Suzanne Collins’ newest novel (which dropped in March and sold 1.5 million copies in its first week), Sunrise on the Reaping brings fans back to the world of Panem with a deadly new twist: 48 tributes instead of the usual 24. Twice the bloodshed, twice the heartbreak.
Peak’s casting is another big moment in her rising career. Best known for her role as Zoya Lott in HBO Max’s Gossip Girl reboot and her appearance in Hocus Pocus 2, the 22-year-old will also star in Sony’s upcoming shark thriller Shiver, opposite Phoebe Dynevor, and Amazon MGM’s 4 Kids Walk into a Bank with Liam Neeson and Teresa Palmer. She’s also a global Chanel ambassador — and notably, the first Black face of the Coco Mademoiselle fragrance.
Zada, meanwhile, is stacking projects. He’ll next be seen in Prime Video’s We Were Liars and just wrapped filming Netflix’s East of Eden, acting alongside Florence Pugh and Mike Faist. He also leads the Australian drama Invisible Boys, based on Holden Sheppard’s novel.
With The Hunger Games franchise having already grossed over $3.3 billion globally, the pressure to get this chapter right is real. But with this cast, creative team, and Suzanne Collins’ source material already striking a chord, Sunrise on the Reaping is shaping up to be a return to form — one that honors the legacy while digging deeper into the heart of Panem’s rebellion-birthing trauma.
This time, we’re not just watching the Games. We’re watching how they made a man. And with Whitney Peak as Lenore, there’s no doubt — this story is going to hurt in all the right ways.