Lionsgate
The new film in the «Hunger Games» series, adapting Suzanne Collins’ book «Catching Fire», is slowly revealing its cast — and this time Lionsgate has announced the addition of Mia Hawke as a young version of one of the most interesting characters in the «Hunger Games: Catching Fire».
We’re talking about Wyres, played in the 2013 film by Amanda Plummer — the winner of the competition, who returns to the deadly arena as a representative of District 3 alongside her colleague Beetie Latte (Jeffrey Wright), but is killed by another player.
In the prequel «Catching Fire», Viers is described as a dark-haired, quiet and somewhat eccentric girl from District 3» who won last year’s «The Hunger Games». It’s interesting to see how the character will be portrayed by Maya Hawke, the daughter of actors Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, the most known for the role of Robbie Buckley in the hit science fiction series «Stranger Things».
The rest of the new announcements (via Games Radar) include «Catching Fire» star Lily Taylor, who will portray Mags Flanagan (the winner of 11 Hunger Games, played by Lynn Cohen in the original films), as well as Calvin Harrison Jr. who will play a young version of Jeffrey Wright’s character.
The prequel will take place 24 years before the events of the original «The Hunger Games» and will tell the story of the 50th anniversary games in Panem — probably one of the most brutal in its history, as it takes «double the tribute» (48 girls and boys will fight for their lives). The plot will center on young Haymitch Abernathy, who played by Joseph Zadaas well as his a tragic love story with the character Lenore Dove (Whitney Peak) and the way to win the competition. Viewers of the original «The Hunger Games» already know that he became a winner, and appeared in films as a mentor to Katniss and Peeta (played by Woody Harrelson).
«When Haymitch’s name is called, all his dreams are shattered. He is torn from his family and love, and sent to the Capitol with three other members of District 12: a friend who is almost like a sister, an obsessive eccentric, and the bravest girl in the neighborhood. When the Games begin, Gaimitch realizes that he is set up for defeat, but something inside him makes him fight… and in a way that will be known far beyond the deadly arena».
The film will be directed by longtime franchise director Francis Lawrence and adapted by Billy Ray. The premiere of «Sunrise at the Harvest» is scheduled for November 20, 2026.
The previous prequel, titled«The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes»dedicated to the tenth Hunger Games and starring Tom Blythe and Rachel Zegler, was released in 2023 and earned $348 million, which can be considered a decent result for a film with a budget of $100 million. In total, the franchise has grossed over $3.3 billion, while the 2013 film «On Fire» remains the richest in the series with a box office of over $865 million.