The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping Casts a Young Beetee

The Hunger Games returns to the big screen next fall, with Francis Lawrence’s adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ bestselling novel Sunrise on the Reaping. The book and film tell the story of a young Haymitch Abernathy and his experience during the 50th Hunger Games, 24 years before Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her younger sister’s place. As many fans learned when the book was released earlier this year, a ton of characters from the original Hunger Games trilogy have significant parts in this new story. That includes Beetee, the fan-favorite technology wiz who was played by Jeffrey Wright in the films.

As production nears for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, Lionsgate has been slowly announcing the official cast. Monday night saw the studio make its latest announcement, which revealed Wright’s Beetee replacement: Kelvin Harrison Jr.

For those who aren’t familiar, Harrison has starred in films like Chevalier, Cyrano, and Trial of the Chicago 7. He also played Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the anthology series Genius, and voiced Taka (aka young Scar) in The Lion King: Mufasa.

The most interesting thing about Harrison coming in to play a young version of Wright’s famous character is that the two of them have already played a father and son on-screen. Wright played the father of Harrison’s Steve Harmon in the 2018 Netflix film Monster.

While Wright’s performance as Beetee remains one of the favorites amongst many Hunger Games fans, it was inevitable that someone else would need to play the character in Sunrise on the Reaping. Yes, Wright can certainly still play younger than his age, but he’s now a decade older than he was when he first starred as Beetee, and the version of the character in Sunrise on the Reaping is nearly a quarter-century younger.

[RELATED: 5 TV Shows That Hunger Games Fans Will Love]

The cast of Sunrise on the Reaping is shaping up to be a big one, with Beetee representing the third character from the original Hunger Games films to receive casting news. Joseph Zada is starring in the film as a young Haymitch Abernathy, taking the torch from Hunger Games star Woody Harrelson. Jesse Plemons will be appearing in the film as a younger Plutarch Heavensbee, a role that was originated by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

It has been reported that Elle Fanning has landed the role of a young Effie Trinket, but that casting hasn’t been made official just yet. The cast of Sunrise on the Reaping also includes Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird, the love interest of Haymitch; and Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner, one of Haymitch’s fellow tributes from District 12.

There are still a few other Hunger Games characters that need to be cast for Sunrise on the Reaping, including President Coriolanus Snow himself. Many fans have hoped to see Kiefer Sutherland take on the role, as it was originated on-screen by his father, Donald Sutherland. Kiefer is currently the same age as Snow is in Sunrise on the Reaping.

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is set to hit theaters on November 20, 2026.