Large cast, high stakes: Creators of new ‘Hunger Games’ film tease one character’s origin

By Danielle Broadway

LOS ANGELES, Sept 16 (Reuters) – For producer Nina Jacobson, filming “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping” was mayhem.

The film, due out in November, is the sixth installment in “The Hunger Games” film ​franchise, based on the dystopian science-fiction novels by Suzanne Collins. Set ‌in the nation of Panem, “The Hunger Games” follows children known as tributes who are forced to fight to the death in an annual spectacle orchestrated by the nation’s corrupt rulers.

But this particular film features double the usual number of participants in the games — 48, instead of 24. ‌That ​meant a more crowded set.

“We had the 48 ⁠tributes, but we also have ⁠to have their stunt doubles,” Jacobson told Reuters in August, following a sneak peek trailer of the upcoming film.

The movie is based on Collins’ 2025 novel of the same name. It serves as a sequel to “The Hunger ​Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” and a prequel to “The Hunger Games.”

Director Francis Lawrence, who helmed some of the previous “Hunger Games” films, described the ⁠shoot as a “big ordeal,” given the difficulty ⁠of keeping all of the children safe on set.

It stars ​Joseph Zada as a younger version of Haymitch Abernathy, the character played by Woody Harrelson in the ​first four films. In those movies, he is the hardened ‌mentor of protagonist Katniss Everdeen, who was played by Jennifer Lawrence.

Other cast members include Jesse Plemons, Elle Fanning, Kieran Culkin, Mckenna Grace and Glenn Close.

The film will chart Haymitch’s transformation from an optimistic teenager into the brash alcoholic seen in ⁠later films.

Finding the right actor for that journey was essential.

“This role really takes an actor through everything,” Lawrence said. “To go from such sort of hope and optimism, and ⁠through such tragedy and ‌horror, and to come out willing to fight is ⁠a really tough thing to ask for from somebody ​so young.”

The ‌movie was filmed in Spain’s Asturias region, the most ​remote location ⁠Jacobson has ever worked.

“It was incredible, but there was nothing there. Zero infrastructure, like imagine being parked in the middle of a national park, but minus the greeting center and bathrooms or any of those things,” she said.

“Sunrise on the Reaping,” produced by Lionsgate, arrives in theaters on November 20.

(Reporting by Danielle Broadway; ​editing by David Gaffen)