Sorry to the Mike Faist stans, but someone else will be playing Yung Woody in the Hunger Games prequel Sunrise on the Reaping. Entertainment Weekly reports that Joseph Zada will star as Haymitch Abernathy in the film about the Second Quarter Quell. Before stepping into Haymitch’s britches, Zada will star in the Amazon series We Were Liars opposite Mamie Gummer. He’ll also appear opposite Twitter’s choice for Haymitch, Faist, in Zoe Kazan’s adaptation of East of Eden.
The other big reveal is who’s playing Haymitch’s lost lady love Lenore Dove Baird. The the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore will be played by Gossip Girl reboot star Whitney Peak. Peak also appeared on The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and is a global ambassador for Chanel.
Sunrise on the Reaping tells the story of Haymitch’s games, the Second Quarter Quell. The OG trilogy depicts Katniss watching these games during her training, but the details were fleshed out in a new novel from Suzanne Collins. Spoiler: it’s a bad time! The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will come to theaters November 20, 2026.
