Another tribute has been reaped, and it’s none other than McKenna Grace, the 18-year-old powerhouse actress has officially been cast as Maysilee Donner in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, the upcoming prequel film set 24 years before the original trilogy’s events.
She’ll be joining Joseph Zada, who steps into the role of young Haymitch Abernathy, originally made iconic by Woody Harrelson, and Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird, Haymitch’s love interest.
Grace’s casting has already stirred up major excitement online, especially among fans who remember Maysilee as the girl whose tragic fate shaped Haymitch’s own cold and cynical survival instincts. The character’s brief but impactful presence was first mentioned in Suzanne Collins’ original series, and now fans will finally get to see her story brought to life on the big screen.
The film adapts Collins’ 2025 novel of the same name, which zeroes in on the 50th Hunger Games, better known as the Second Quarter Quell. That’s the same year that required double the number of tributes, thrusting Haymitch and Maysilee into the arena together as tributes from District 12. The emotional and psychological toll of that Games is something fans have long wanted explored, and this movie is about to do exactly that.
Director Francis Lawrence is returning once again, having helmed Catching Fire, Mockingjay Parts 1 & 2, and Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Lawrence teams up with screenwriter Billy Ray, and the project is being produced by Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson, with Cameron MacConomy serving as executive producer. In short: the old crew is back to do what they do best.
The film is set to hit theaters November 20, 2026.
Grace, already known for her standout performances in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Gifted, brings the emotional depth needed to portray Maysilee’s arc, from hopeful tribute to heartbreaking casualty. Her next wave of projects is stacked, including Scream 7, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, and Kiss of Death with Blumhouse. But this role might just be her biggest career swing yet.
Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes gave us a chilling look into the origins of Coriolanus Snow. Sunrise on the Reaping is here to show us how trauma shaped one of the franchise’s most complex supporting characters: Haymitch. And with Maysilee at the emotional core of that transformation, Grace’s performance could very well redefine how fans view the original trilogy.
The announcement comes at a time when YA adaptations are trying to make a serious comeback. And let’s be real, no one builds dystopia quite like the Hunger Games universe. From political upheaval to bloody spectacle, this franchise always manages to hit a little too close to home.
Fans on social media are already praising the casting choice. “McKenna Grace as Maysilee? I’m already crying,” one post read. Others are excited to finally see Maysilee and Haymitch’s dynamic beyond what the books hinted at.
No word yet on who’ll play the other tributes (expect some surprise castings soon), but one thing’s clear, Sunrise on the Reaping isn’t just another cash-in. It’s shaping up to be a brutal, character-driven prequel with real emotional stakes.
