The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping has given fans a rare insight into the life of Haymitch Abernathy.
On Satuday, July 4, the franchise released a "Meet Haymitch" featurette to mark the character's birthday and the reaping day.
The promo video featured a first look at the origin story of Joseph Zada as Haymitch, winner of the 50th Hunger Games and star of the upcoming prequel of The Hunger Games, set to hit theatres on November 20.
The featurette includes the day of the reaping, which falls on Haymitch's birthday, scenes from the Games and several throwback shots from the original Hunger Games movies.
“Can you imagine the sun rising on a world without a Reaping?” asks Haymitch’s girlfriend Lenore Dove Baird, played by Whitney Peak, to which he responds, “Not on my birthday. Never had one that came without a Reaping."
It also included interviews with cast and crew, who shared their thoughts on the significance of Haymitch's character and hailed Woody Harrelson, who played the original Haymitch in the films.
"This films tracks the loss of innocence. But also the ignition of his [Haymitch] revolutionary spirit," says Ben Wang, who will play Wyatt Callow in the upcoming movie.
Sunrise on the Reaping will see Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket, originally played by Elizabeth Banks; Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman; Maya Hawke as Wiress Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Beetee; and Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee.
About 'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping'
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping revisits the world of Panem and follows young Haymitch Abernathy, 24 years before the events of The Hunger Games (2012), starting on the morning of the reaping of the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell.
Francis Lawrence, who has directed all of the Hunger Games films since the sequel “Catching Fire” in 2013, returns as director and producer. Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson serve as producers, with Cameron MacConomy and Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins as executive producers.
