McKenna Grace in Sunrise on the Reaping
McKenna Grace is cast as a lead in Sunrise on the Reaping, a Hunger Games prequel film based on Suzanne Collins' novel Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins. Grace is known for roles in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, The Bad Seed, and Young Sheldon, and she joins a new generation of actors in the Hunger Games universe Forbes.
The film is expected to explore the story of Haymitch Abernathy, the Hunger Games victor from District 12, with Grace's role confirmed as a central tribute character. Lionsgate and producers have described Sunrise on the Reaping as a direct adaptation of the prequel novel, with casting choices aimed at reflecting the era of the 50th Hunger Games.
Production, Release Timeline, and Franchise Context
Sunrise on the Reaping is in development at Lionsgate, with Francis Lawrence returning to direct and Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik producing. The project follows the 2023 release of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which grossed over $150 million in its opening weekend and expanded the prequel timeline Lionsgate.
Production updates indicate that Sunrise on the Reaping is currently in early stages, with script revisions and location scouting underway. The film is positioned as the next major installment in the Hunger Games cinematic series, which includes four main Hunger Games films, the prequel Ballad film, and related spin-off projects under Lionsgate's franchise roadmap.
Key Details, Cast, and Source Material
Sunrise on the Reaping adapts the 2025 novel Sunrise on the Reaping, the fourth book in the Hunger Games prequel series. The novel details Haymitch's victory in the 50th Hunger Games, his alliance with a District 12 tribute, and the political consequences that follow, providing a direct link to the original trilogy.
McKenna Grace's casting aligns with Lionsgate's strategy of pairing established young actors with franchise properties, similar to the Ballad film's use of Tom Blyth and Rachel Zegler. The Hunger Games franchise remains one of the highest-grossing young adult series, with total global box office exceeding $3 billion across the main films and the Ballad prequel Box Office Mojo.