The Hunger Games Prequel Announces Exciting New Cast Additions
According to a recent report from CBR, Lionsgate has revealed that two new cast members have joined the ensemble of The Hunger Games prequel, Sunrise on the Reaping. Eight-time Oscar nominee Glenn Close and Pose star Billy Porter will be bringing their talents to the film.
As reported by CBR, Close has been tapped to play Drusilla Sickle, a Capitol chaperone for the District 12 tributes during the 50th Hunger Games. She will be married to Magno Stift, the District 12 tributes’ stylist for the 50th Hunger Games, a role that will be played by Porter.
CBR also reports that this casting news comes roughly a month after Kieran Culkin was announced to be portraying a young Caesar Flickerman in the movie, a role previously played by Stanley Tucci in the original Hunger Games film quadrilogy.
Glenn Close is an acclaimed actor in the industry with eight Oscar nominations to her name. She earned her first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for The World According to Garp (1982), which also served as her feature-length debut. CBR notes that Close has been nominated for her work in films such as The Big Chill (1983), The Natural (1984), Fatal Attraction (1987), Dangerous Liaisons (1988), Albert Nobbs (2011), and The Wife (2017).
Billy Porter, on the other hand, is primarily known for starring in all three seasons of Pose, in which he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2019. CBR reports that his small-screen credits also include American Horror Story: Apocalypse, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, Fairfax, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, and Equal.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will be the sixth Hunger Games movie released by Lionsgate, focusing on a young Haymitch Abernathy, set to be played by Joseph Zada, as he is selected to participate in the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell. CBR confirms that Francis Lawrence is back in the director’s chair for Sunrise on the Reaping after having helmed the previous four Hunger Games movies.
The screenplay for the prequel was written by Billy Ray and is adapted from Suzanne Collins’ 2025 novel of the same name. The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is scheduled to hit theaters on November 20, 2026.
As CBR reports, Close and Porter’s casting in Sunrise on the Reaping adds to the already star-studded ensemble, which includes Kieran Culkin as a young Caesar Flickerman. Fans of the franchise will be eagerly anticipating the release of this prequel, which promises to provide an exciting and fresh perspective on the Hunger Games universe.
The film’s plot, as reported by CBR, will explore the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell, in which all districts will produce double the amount of tributes. This will undoubtedly create an intense and thrilling viewing experience, especially with the addition of Close and Porter’s characters to the story.
With the casting of Glenn Close and Billy Porter, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is shaping up to be an exciting and highly anticipated film. Fans of the franchise will be keeping a close eye on the production and release of this prequel, which promises to deliver an engaging and captivating cinematic experience.
