With the newest book in The Hunger Games universe freshly released last month – Sunrise on the Reaping – anything Hunger Games-related is pretty much all I can talk (and think) about. Since I read it, I’ve already found myself halfway through Catching Fire in a full-blown series reread. Let’s be honest: I’ll probably be talking about this book nonstop until its movie adaptation hits theaters next November, which will only reignite my obsession (if The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes taught me anything!).
For those who don’t know, Sunrise on the Reaping follows Haymitch Abernathy, the mentor to Katniss and Peeta in the original trilogy and one of the four District Twelve victors. The new book dives into his own Hunger Games: the 50th Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell, where double the tributes were reaped from each district. Needless to say, I loved it.
And to keep the excitement going, I’ve been looking at any and all fancasts for the upcoming movie. It took me a while (and many late-night TikTok scrolls) but I’ve finally narrowed down my top choices. Keep in mind, though, this is my dream cast. Would it cost an exorbitant amount of money to get all these actors in a room together? Yes. Can a girl dream? Also yes. Let’s get started!
- Drusilla sickle: lucy punch
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Ok, ew – I absolutely hated Drusilla, but am I psyched to see her on the big screen? Hell yes. She’s the perfect, over-the-top Capitol woman who’s never faced a day of hardship and is completely and utterly cruel. Lucy Punch thrives in roles like this (evil stepsister in multiple adaptations of Cinderella, Amy Squirrel in Bad Teacher, etc.) and would absolutely nail the part.
- Mags Flanagan: winona ryder
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There’s something just so comforting about every character Winona Ryder plays, and considering how much of a comfort Mags is, especially in this book, it just makes sense. As Haymitch says, “It’s okay to cry around Mags.” Honestly, I’d cry around Winona Ryder too.
- wiress: emma myers
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Fresh off the Minecraft Movie, Emma Myers would be perfect as a young Wiress. In Sunrise, Wiress has just come off her own Games, so Emma’s age fits, and she even looks a bit like a younger Amanda Plummer (our OG “tick, tock”).
- Plutarch heavensbee: cooper hoffman
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Who better to play a younger Plutarch than the son of the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman, who played him in the original series? Of course, only if Cooper’s comfortable. But he’s been making waves in the movie industry recently, and this would be such a full-circle moment.
- effie trinket: sabrina carpenter
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Like most 20-something women, it’s safe to say I’m pretty obsessed with Sabrina Carpenter right now. I know, I know, it’s a long shot to expect this busy woman (see what I did there??) to take a brief hiatus from her incredible singing career to play Effie in the film, but once again, a girl can dream. Her bubbly charm and Polly Pocket vibe make her a surprisingly perfect younger Effie.
- PResident snow: kiefer sutherland
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Another legacy casting! Kiefer is the son of the amazing late Donald Sutherland, who originally played Snow, and the resemblance is pretty striking. If he felt up to it, this casting would give me full-body chills in the absolute best way.
- Beetee latier: Justice smith
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Justice Smith seems to be the fans’ consensus for who should play a younger Beetee, and for good reason. He and Jeffrey Wright, our OG Beetee, have such a similar energy and look, and it just really works for me.
- Wyatt Callow: Caleb mclaughlin
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My forever hot take is that Lucas is one of the best Stranger Things characters, and that’s in great part due to Caleb’s layered performance. I think he could bring the same vulnerability and quiet strength to Wyatt, a boy who never had anyone to lean on and had his own father placing bets on him in the games.
- Louella mccoy: Melody hurd
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I didn’t know much about Lyric Hurd until I started researching fancasts, but she’s the exact right age (13, just like Louella!) and already has multiple acting roles under her belt. She’s got the sweet, innocent vibe that made Louella so lovable in the book.
- Maysilee donner: Mckenna Grace
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I don’t make the rules. Mckenna Grace needs to play Maysilee (sorry queen, you have no choice). Having grown up watching Mckenna Grace star in film after film, this would be the cherry on top. She truly has been booked and busy since childhood and would absolutely slay Maysilee’s sass and spirit.
- Lenore dove: Lola tung
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Lola Tung’s name has been floating around for Lenore, and I’m fully on board. Not only is Lola an incredibly talented actress, but she also can sing (her Broadway run as Eurydice in Hadestown definitely proved that). Lenore’s musical moments could be so powerful with Lola’s voice behind them.
- Haymitch abernathy:
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Okay, don’t hate me. In an ideal world, Woody Harrelson in a backwards hat and plaid pajama pants (iykyk) could step onto set and magically play 16-year-old Haymitch, but assuming that doesn’t happen, Rudy Pankow is my next best pick. He is 26, which is definitely a bit old to play a 16 year old, but I think he could be aged down a bit to match Haymitch’s age in the book. He has that chaotic, clever, scrappy energy that could totally work. I believe in him!
And that’s my dream cast for Sunrise on the Reaping!
Will the actual movie look anything like this? Probably not. But I’ll be holding onto hope until that first casting announcement drops, and, regardless, I’ll be the first in line to see the movie on November 20 of next year.
Oh, and never fear, I’m still casting all the other tributes and mentors in my head… stay tuned.