SPOILERS ahead for the book, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.
There’s been a lot of casting announcements for the next Hunger Games movie, but I have a lingering question about one of the most-anticipated upcoming book adaptations: Will the original actors make a cameo like they do in the book? After rumors spread this week that it could happen, Josh Hutcherson has commented on the topic.
Josh Hutcherson Shares His Thoughts On Being In Sunrise On The Reaping
At the end of the Sunrise on the Reaping book, Peeta and Katniss appear alongside Haymitch at the age we know him from the original trilogy, and fans like myself have been hoping to see Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Woody Harrelson briefly in the upcoming movie. Here’s what Hutcherson said on the topic:
Yeah, no, that’d be cool. No, I know nothing in that world right now.
While speaking to Brit + Co about a casting rumor that went around earlier this week (via Twitter user @DivinitySeeker1, which is by no means confirmed or official), Hutcherson shared that he knows “nothing” about what’s next for The Hunger Games movies. He’s expressed wanting to play Peeta before, as long as author Suzanne Collins signed off on it, but for the time being, either he’s not looped in or is sworn to secrecy. As he continued:
Hunger Games is amazing, and I’ve loved it for many years and I will love it forever.
Sunrise on the Reaping definitely gives Hutcherson the window to reprise his role should the filmmakers decide it. The movie just started filming, so we’ll have to wait and see, but this would definitely be the kind of role that Lionsgate would want to keep under wraps as a way to give fans a surprise in theaters come its 2026 release date.
Why I Need Hutcherson And Two Other OG Stars To Be In The Next Hunger Games Movie
While a lot of cameos can seem a little pointless or cash-grab-y these days, there’s actually a really sweet reason why Katniss and Peeta show up in Sunrise in the Reaping, and I need it to happen in the movie.
After learning about all the horrors and devastation Haymitch witnessed during his Hunger Games, there’s something comforting about seeing how his life turned out, where he has a family in Peeta and Katniss, who both assisted in the end of the twisted Hunger Games tradition at the end of Mockingjay Part 2.
The original Hunger Games are currently back on streaming, and you can look forward to Sunrise on the Reaping’s release on November 11, 2026. Oh, and if you find yourself in London, there’s going to be a Hunger Games stage show premiering this fall.