Iris Apatow and Edvin Ryding are officially heading to Panem. Lionsgate has announced that the two young stars will portray Capitol University students Proserpina and Vitus in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, the upcoming prequel film entering production this summer. Their characters are assigned to the prep team for the District 12 Tributes — a duo whose journey will take center stage in the highly anticipated adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ latest novel. They join a loaded cast led by Glenn Close, Kieran Culkin, Elle Fanning, Ralph Fiennes, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Maya Hawke, Jesse Plemons, Billy Porter, and Lili Taylor. Rising stars Joseph Zada, Whitney Peak, Mckenna Grace, and Ben Wang round out the Districts’ new generation of players.

Previously announced supporting cast members include Laura Marcus as Silka, Percy Daggs IV as Ampert, Rada Rae as Wellie, Jhaleil Swaby as Panache, John Doeble as Buck, Alina Reid as Kerna, Salimou Thiam as Clayton, Kaine Buffonge as Hull, Sky Frances as Maritte, Tatyana Muzondo as Ringina, Kara Tointon as Willamae, Smylie Bradwell as Sid, Melody Chikakane Brown as Hattie Meeny, Grace Ackary as Asterid, Scot Greenan as Burdock, Jeffrey Hallman as Clerk Carmine, Sandra Förster as Hersilia, Serafin Mishiev as Woodbine Chance, Jax Guerrero as Tibby, and Jefferson White as Mr. McCoy.

Returning to direct is Francis Lawrence, with a screenplay by Billy Ray. Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson of Color Force will produce alongside Lawrence, with Cameron MacConomy serving as executive producer. Meredith Wieck and Scott O’Brien are overseeing for Lionsgate. Apatow, currently filming Season 3 of Tell Me Lies for Hulu, recently starred in Young Werther and Netflix’s Unstable. She’ll next appear in Ballerina Overdrive. Ryding, best known for Young Royals, recently earned praise for his role in Danny Boyle’s 28 Years Later.

What Is ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’ About?

Set 24 years before Katniss Everdeen’s name was pulled from a glass bowl, Sunrise on the Reaping begins on the morning of the 50th Hunger Games — better known as the Second Quarter Quell. The story centers on Haymitch Abernathy, played by Zada, whose brutal experience in the arena would shape him into the cynical mentor fans met in the original films. Published in March, Collins’ Sunrise on the Reaping debuted with a staggering 1.5 million copies sold in its first week and remains #1 on The New York Times bestseller list.

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping hits theaters worldwide on November 20, 2026.

via Collider