'The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping' Announces Kelvin Harrison Jr.'s Cast as Critical Character

Kelvin Harrison Jr. has joined the cast of the upcoming The Hunger Games prequel, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, and will play an important role.

Harrison will play Beetee, a part performed by Jeffrey Wright in the original Hunger Games film franchise, which began with The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. The character is the 34th Hunger Games champion and the father of Ampert Latier, the 50th Hunger Games tribute.

Previously cast stars include Joseph Zada as Abernathy, Whitney Peak as Baird, and McKenna Grace as Mayslie. Jesse Plemons will also appear, with Glenn Close said to be interested in a role.

The director is Francis Lawrence, and the script was written by Billy Ray. Color Force's producers are Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson. Cameron MacConomy is the executive producer.

As we previously reported, the film is based on Suzanne Collins' dystopian YA novel of the same name, which was released on March 18. Viewers will return to Panem, the fictitious state where the Hunger Games stories are place, this time 24 years before the events of the first film. Beginning with the reaping of the 50th Hunger contests, a teenage Abernathy—who, at the time, was just a brilliant young man from District 12—is picked for the famed contests but must compete against twice as many tributes.

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will open in theaters on November 20, 2026.