Jennifer Lawrence is returning to the role of Katniss Everdeen, and stepping back onto the set brought more than a little nostalgia. The actor has confirmed her appearance in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, alongside Josh Hutcherson and Woody Harrelson.
During a conversation with Alex Cooper, Lawrence described being reunited with familiar faces on both sides of the camera. Working again with the same crew, including camera operators and an assistant director she knew well, made the experience feel particularly personal.
“It was so emotional,” she said. Lawrence recalled how she and Hutcherson stayed close throughout the reunion, even walking to the bathroom with their arms around each other. She also joked about Harrelson arriving at her hotel room through a window rather than using the door.
Watch Jennifer Lawrence’s interview here:
The return comes 11 years after Lawrence’s last appearance as Katniss in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2. This time, however, the main story looks further back into Panem’s history.
Adapted from Suzanne Collins’ 2025 novel Sunrise on the Reaping, the prequel follows a 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy during the 50th Hunger Games. Joseph Zada plays the younger Haymitch, with the story set 24 years before the original trilogy.
The ensemble also includes Jesse Plemons, Ralph Fiennes, Glenn Close, Kieran Culkin, Elle Fanning, Mckenna Grace and Maya Hawke. The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is scheduled to open in theatres on November 20, 2026.