‘The Hunger Games’ Producer Now Looking to Cast for Young Haymitch
One of the fan favorites in The Hunger Games franchise is Haymitch Abernathy, portrayed by the talented Woody Harrelson. Haymitch is District 12’s first victor and serves as the mentor to the…
AUSTIN, TEXAS – MARCH 8: Woody Harrelson attends the MLS match between Austin FC and Colorado Rapids at Q2 Stadium on March 8, 2025 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images)
One of the fan favorites in The Hunger Games franchise is Haymitch Abernathy, portrayed by the talented Woody Harrelson. Haymitch is District 12’s first victor and serves as the mentor to the series' main characters, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson). Fortunately, author Suzanne Collins gave fans what they’d been hoping for by writing a prequel focused on Haymitch’s time in the arena as a tribute. The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping hit bookshelves on March 18, 2025, and a film adaptation is already in the works.
Who Will Play Young Haymitch in the Next The Hunger Games Film?
In an interview with Variety (via Movie Web), producer Nina Jacobson revealed that they have not yet auditioned actors for the role. She emphasized that they are not looking for someone to copy Woody Harrelson’s performance from the previous four films, but rather to portray a younger version of the character. Jacobson added, “It’s a great role. One of the things that’s so unusual about this is that very rarely does a franchise give an actor a chance to really show their chops and the range that they have, but these roles do.”
Jacobson also mentioned that they’re looking for an actor who can portray Haymitch before he became consumed by "grief and rage" from the aftermath of the Games. She acknowledged that nobody can be Woody Harrelson except for himself, but they want the young Haymitch to reflect "that mischief" inherent in the character. The goal is to explore who the man we met at the beginning of The Hunger Games was when he was younger and understand why he became the person we saw in the four films.
Jacobson also acknowledged how Collins’ characters are “deep” that’s why they “draw in and attract real acting talent.”
Francis Lawrence who directed Catching Fire, Mockingjay Part 1, Mockingjay Part 2 and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will be back to direct the prequel telling of Haymitch’s story. In an interview with ComicBook last year, Lawrence said of the pressure to cast the perfect young Haymitch. “It’s a search and you have to dig down and figure out what are the elements that make Woody Harrelson so interesting, right? And some of it is humor. Some of it is intelligence. Some of it is quirk. Some of it is, there’s a darkness in him that gives him an edge.”
Sunrise on the Reaping has a release date of November 20, 2026.
