Lionsgate’s upcoming prequel The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will see another familiar character return in younger form as Elle Fanning (A Complete Unknown) will play Effie Trinket, played by Elizabeth Banks in the original films.
Effie was an escort for District 12’s tributes, picking their names at random and taking them to the Capitol where she helped prepare them in the media frenzy leading up to the Hunger Games. In Sunrise on the Reaping, we’ll see her just begin in this role as she joins Haymitch Abernathy and the rest of District 12’s team in the Capitol.
Released in March by Suzanne Collins, Sunrise on the Reaping takes fans back to the 50th anniversary of the Hunger Games, otherwise known as the Second Quarter Quell, where fan-favourite Haymitch Abernathy was reaped as one of District 12’s four tributes to compete in the game and won, eventually going on to mentor Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark nearly 25 years later in their own Games.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is being directed by Francis Lawrence and stars Joseph Zada (Invisible Boys) as Haymitch Abernathy, Whitney Peak (Hocus Pocus 2) as Lenore Dove Baird, McKenna Grace (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire) as Maysilee Donner, Jesse Plemons (Civil War) as Plutarch Heavensbee, Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Mufasa: The Lion King) as Beetee, Maya Hawke (Stranger Things) as Wiress, Lili Taylor (Outer Range) as Mags, Ralph Fiennes (Conclave) as President Snow and Elle Fanning (A Complete Unknown) as Effie Trinket.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will be released on November 20th, 2026.
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