Lionsgate Casts Jhaleil Swaby in Hunger Games Prequel

Lionsgate's upcoming film 'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping,' set for release on November 20, 2026, is expanding its cast with several new additions including Jhaleil Swaby, who will portray Panache, an arrogant and ruthless career tribute from District 1. The film serves as a prequel, taking place 24 years before the original series during the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell, and centers on a young Haymitch Abernathy. The cast also features Laura Marcus as Silka, Percy Daggs IV as Beetee’s son, and Rada Rae as Wellie, among others, joining a star-studded lineup including Whitney Peak, Mckenna Grace, Billy Porter, Jesse Plemons, and Ralph Fiennes. Directed by Francis Lawrence with a screenplay by Billy Ray, the movie is produced by Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson under Color Force, continuing the franchise's tradition of high-profile involvement. The film revisits the brutal survival competition with a deadly twist of doubling the number of tributes to 48, showcasing intense new characters and stories within the dystopian world of Panem. This installment promises to build on the franchise's legacy, which has collectively grossed over $3.3 billion worldwide.