If you thought The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was intense, just wait until you see what happens in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaper — the upcoming prequel set 24 years before Katniss ever stepped into the arena.

And guess who’s joining the bloodbath?

None other than Maya Hawke , aka Robby Buckley from Stranger Things , who’s traded Hawkins for Panem to play a young version of Vires , one of the most tragic characters from Catching Fire . Originally played by Amanda Plummer (yes, that Amanda Plummer), Vires is the District 3 tribute who wins one year’s games… only to get dragged back in as a mentor and brutally killed off. Spoiler alert? Kinda hard not to spoil when you know how it ends.

In Sunrise on the Reaper , Vires is described as “dark-haired, quiet, and slightly eccentric ” — which is Hollywood code for “this person is definitely going to die in the most dramatic way possible.”

👑 Who Is Vires Anyway?

For those who skipped Catching Fire or just came for Jennifer Lawrence’s braid, Vires was the mysterious, soft-spoken winner from District 3 who returned for the 75th Hunger Games (aka the Quarter Quell) alongside her fellow veteran Beetee Latier — played by Jeffrey Wright in the original films.

Now we’re getting to see her origin story , which means we’ll witness how she won her games, became a Victor, and eventually got sent back into the arena with nothing but her wits and a probable death sentence.

And let’s be real — if you’re returning for the Quarter Quell, you’re not coming back out.

🌟 Meet The New Class Of Tributes

Joining Maya Hawke in this grim dystopian reunion:

• Lily Taylor (The Conjuring ) as Mags Flanagan , the sweet old lady from District 4 who fans remember sacrificing herself to save Finnick in Catching Fire . In this film, she’s younger, fiercer, and probably already planning her noble exit.
• Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Cyrano , The Trial of the Chicago 7 ) as the young version of Beetee , the brainy tech genius who survives long enough to become a key player in the rebellion.

And of course, the main event:

• Josh Andrés Rivera plays a young Haymitch Abernathy , the sarcastic, alcoholic mentor we all know and love from the original series — except here, he’s fresh-faced, full of hope, and tragically in love with Lucy Gray Baird , played by Whitney Peak .

Spoiler: It doesn’t end well.

“When Haymitch’s name is called, his dreams collapse. He’s torn from his family and love, thrown into the Capitol with three other District 12 tributes — a sister-like friend, an annoying weirdo, and the boldest girl in the district. As the Games begin, Haymitch realizes he’s set up to lose… but something midway makes him fight — and fight in a way that echoes far beyond the deadly arena.”

Sound dramatic? That’s because it is.

🎥 Back To The Future (Or Past?)

This new film is directed by Francis Lawrence , who brought us Catching Fire , Mockingjay Part 1 , and Mockingjay Part 2 — so yeah, he knows how to make people cry while burning down districts.

The script is adapted by Billy Ray (Captain Phillips , Richard Jewell ) from Suzanne Collins’ novel Sunrise on the Reaper , and yes — it promises to be darker, more emotional, and possibly even more tragic than the first prequel.

Set during the 50th Hunger Games , the story will feature the infamous “Double Reapings” — meaning 48 tributes instead of the usual 24. So basically, twice the tears, twice the trauma.

📅 When Can We Cry About This?

Mark your calendars for November 20, 2026 — the day we officially learn why Haymitch drinks so much.

🤑 Box Office Gold, Guaranteed

Let’s not forget — the previous prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes , made $348 million worldwide on a $100 million budget. And the franchise as a whole has raked in over $3.3 billion at the box office.

So yeah — Panem may be falling apart, but the Hunger Games cinematic universe is alive and thriving.

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