Original Hunger Games Star Addresses Potential Return in 2026’s Prequel Movie

When Lionsgate released the very first Hunger Games movie back in May 2012, it’s unclear if the studio could have envisioned the franchise continuing to thrive a decade later. With one prequel film already under its belt, with The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, the studio is currently hard at work on its next film. The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is now in production, and the film is centered on a young Haymitch. However, one star from the original Hunger Games movie isn’t ruling out a return as the character in the prequel movie: Peeta Mellark actor, Josh Hutcherson. The actor spoke recently about his role as Peeta, and the rumors of his return.

Hutcherson was recently on hand for the Pasadena Humane Society and NBCUniversal’s Clear the Shelters campaign and took some time to speak to the Brit + Co about a possible return as Peeta. When asked whether or not fans can expect to see him as Peeta in next year’s The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, the actor didn’t rule it out. “Yeah, no, that’d be cool. No, I know nothing in that world right now,” he said. “Hunger Games is amazing, and I’ve loved it for many years, and I will love it forever.”

Could Peeta Appear in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Repaing?

While the actor isn’t ruling out a return to the Hunger Games franchise anytime soon, it’s worth noting that a return in Sunrise on the Reaping is highly unlikely. The movie, and its book, take place approximately forty years after the events of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, and about twenty years before the events of The Hunger Games. The cental focus in Sunrise on the Reaping is on a young Haymitch and the Quarter Quell, which features twice as many tributes as the other games. Katniss and Peeta are not yet a part of this world in Sunrise on the Reaping.

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With that in mind, however, that isn’t to say there won’t eventually be a way for Hutcherson to return as Peeta. Suzanne Collins, the author behind the best-selling novels, continues to expand upon the beloved book series, leaving room for any character — or time period — to be explored at some point in time. For now, though, Collins and Lionsgate seem happy to delve into the Games that took place before the Girl on Fire took the spotlight with the 74th Hunger Games, and eventually the 75th Games as well.

Hutcherson starred as Peeta in the four original Hunger Games films: The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2. He starred alongside Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen and Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne. The original Hunger Games films earned over $3 billion worldwide, and the prequel films continue to perform well at the box office, with The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes having earned $348.4 million worldwide.

The upcoming The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping stars Ralph Fiennes as President Snow, Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket, Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner, Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee, Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy, Ben Wang as Wyatt Callow, Maya Hawke as Wiress, Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman, Lili Taylor as Mags Flanagan, Glenn Close as Drusilla Sickle, Jefferson White as Mr. McCoy, and Billy Porter as Magno Stift. The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will hit theaters on November 20, 2026.