JENNIFER LAWRENCE & JOSH HUTCHERSON SET TO RETURN FOR NEW HUNGER GAMES PREQUEL

Fans of The Hunger Games franchise have reason to celebrate, as Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson are reportedly preparing to reprise their beloved roles as Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark in the upcoming prequel film Sunrise on the Reaping. The news, confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter, marks a dramatic and highly anticipated return to the dystopian universe that captivated global audiences for over a decade.

The new film is an adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ newest manuscript and serves as a prequel to the original trilogy. Unlike The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, which explored the early days of Coriolanus Snow, this story focuses on a different but equally significant figure: a young Haymitch Abernathy, District 12’s most complex victor before Katniss emerged. Fans will finally get a deeper look into the 50th Hunger Game, also known as the Second Quarter Quel, the brutally designed tournament that shaped Haymitch into the mentor we later came to know.

While Haymitch is the centre of the narrative, it’s the epilogue of Collins’ manuscript that has sent fans into a frenzy. In the book’s concluding pages, readers are transported far into the future, beyond even the ending of Mockingjay, where Haymitch reflects briefly on the lives of Katniss and Peeta in their years after the rebellion. This tender, reflective moment appears to be the basis for Lawrence and Hutcherson’s return.

Although details are being kept tightly under wraps, sources suggest the pair will feature in a short but emotionally significant sequenc, possibly recreating or expanding upon the epilogue that shows the couple settled, healing, and raising their family in a post-war District 12. Their appearance may also serve as a narrative bridge between the original films and Haymitch’s story, allowing fans to reconnect with characters whose journeys have left a lasting mark on modern cinema.

The return of Lawrence and Hutcherson is especially notable given their long-standing connection to the series. Jennifer Lawrence became a global superstar after her portrayal of Katniss, the girl on fire, capturing the grit, trauma, and resilience of a teenager turned symbol of rebellion. Josh Hutcherson’s performance as Peeta, the soft-spoken baker’s son who becomes Katniss’s moral compass, earned critical acclaim and remains a fan favourite.

Josh Hutcherson and Jennifer Lawrence in a scene from in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Credit: Lionsgate Films

Their on-screen chemistry defined much of the original saga’s emotional core, and audiences have carried a deep affection for the pair ever since. Many fans believed their Hunger Games journey had reached its natural end after Mockingjay – Part 2, making the announcement of their return all the more surprising and exciting.

Meanwhile, attention is also turning to the casting of young Haymitch, a role that will inevitably draw intense scrutiny. Woody Harrelson’s portrayal in the original films is considered one of the franchise’s greatest performances, blending humour, cynicism, and deep emotional trauma. Whoever steps into his shoes for Sunrise on the Reaping will inherit one of the series’ richest backstories.

Production timelines, additional cast announcements, and filming details remain tightly guarded for now. Lionsgate is expected to reveal more information in the coming months, with fans already speculating about possible release dates and the scale of the new prequel.

For now, the return of Katniss and Peet, however brief, signals a renewed spark in the ever-expanding Hunger Games universe. And for many long-time fans, it feels like coming home to District 12 once more.