The best news for The Hunger Games fandom since the announcement of the Sunrise on the Reaping film just hit the internet — and it has to do with a certain star from the previous installments.
In an interview on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Jennifer Lawrence, who played Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games films, confirmed she'll return as Katniss in the upcoming adaptation of the latest Suzanne Collins novel. The actress was asked about reprising the role, saying that her time on set was amazing:
“It was unbelievable. It was so crazy. It was the same crew. It was the same AD, who I’ve worked with a million times because I love him. And with Josh [Hutcherson] and Woody [Harrelson] … it was so emotional. Josh and I didn’t walk to the bathroom without our arms around each other. It was so beautiful. And Woody, obviously, came through the window of my hotel room uninvited. It wouldn’t be the same if he listened to boundaries or used a door.”
Variety reported in December 2025 that Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson were expected to reprise their roles for a scene, but now it is officially confirmed by the actress — plus Woody Harrelson’s return as well.
This is major, especially for people who have read The Hunger Games books as I have. Here is how it might play out in the new movie.
How Katniss, Peeta, and Haymitch will come together again
If you’re a Hunger Games fan, you’ve probably read Sunrise on the Reaping and know the book focuses on Haymitch’s time in the Second Quarter Quell, about 24 years before Katniss’ games. It’s the only time an official victor from District 12 was crowned (aside from Lucy Grey Baird, whose win was never announced).
The novel ends on a bittersweet note, but readers know Katniss and Peeta appear in an epilogue, where Haymitch is older and living out whatever time he has left on Earth. It’s a sweet moment, despite all the horror that had happened previously in the book.
It’s an even bigger deal that Katniss will be back because the book includes much more about her family history. In fact, it’s confirmed that Katniss’ father was related to a Covey, and Lenore Dove is a Covey, so that connection between her and Haymitch becomes even more interesting. We’re not sure if the epilogue will be entirely like the book, but if all three characters are there, it’ll be pretty close.
Harrelson’s return is also awesome considering most of the film will follow the younger version of Haymitch, played by Joseph Zada.
Seeing Lawrence, Hutcherson, and Harrelson back together on screen again feels like an early Christmas gift that I don’t deserve, but I’m getting it anyway. What a sight to see.
Lawrence had previously shared that she'd be open to reprising the role. Back in 2023, before Sunrise on the Reaping was even released, she told Variety when asked if she’d return to Katniss: “Oh, my God – totally! If Katniss ever could ever come back into my life, 100 percent.”
That interview took place around the time that The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was coming out, and now we’re here. Look how far we’ve come! I, for one, will be counting down the days until the new movie comes out — and probably crying like a baby when we get to the epilogue.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping releases in theaters on Nov. 20, 2026.
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