Joseph Zada Called a Star in Sunrise on the Reaping — SkimNews
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- Sunrise on the Reaping premiered to film press, where Griffin Schiller called it the franchise’s “Rogue One” and “Andor” — “a sobering, yet powerful story of devastating loss and the necessary cost of rebellion” — while Gavin Spoors rated the third act “stellar” for one that “pulls the rug out underneath you.” Lionsgate opens the film Nov. 20.
- Matt Neglia said the film “features some of the best casting of the year,” singling out Glenn Close as a scene-stealer and Jesse Plemons for embodying “the spirit of the late great Philip Seymour Hoffman,” and praised Francis Lawrence for continuing to find more layers in a familiar structure.
- Lauren LaMagna credited the unique production design with keeping familiar beats from getting dull, called Joseph Zada “heartbreakingly radiant as Haymitch” and declared, “A star is born role.”
- Perri Nemiroff said Zada had her “jaw on the floor” as he moved from Haymitch’s warmth and charm into the rage and heartbreak the Hunger Games sparks, adding, “This is only the beginning for Zada.” She also noted “Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes bolstered my rewatches of the original films.”
- Nina Starner said the casting “couldn’t be better,” that the film looks and feels “terrifyingly real,” and that it “bridges the gap perfectly between the original stories and Ballad,” calling it a worthy addition to the franchise.
- Joseph Zada takes over Haymitch from Woody Harrelson in the screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ 2025 novel, playing a young Haymitch who fights to survive while competing in the 50th Hunger Games, 24 years before the first film. Francis Lawrence returns to direct, with Ralph Fiennes as President Snow, Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman, Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket, Jesse Plemons as Plutarch, Maya Hawke as Wiress and Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Beetee, plus new franchise characters from McKenna Grace, Glenn Close and Whitney Peak.
- Jennifer Lawrence returns as Katniss alongside Josh Hutcherson as Peeta and Woody Harrelson as Haymitch, matching the novel’s flash-forward epilogue; on the Call Her Daddy podcast she said “It was unbelievable” and “so beautiful,” adding that she and Hutcherson “didn’t walk to the bathroom without our arms around each other.”
Why it matters: With a Nov. 20 opening, Lionsgate puts first-time franchise lead Joseph Zada in the role reviewers call the franchise’s “beating heart,” while Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Woody Harrelson return for a bookend appearance. Every early verdict centers Zada, with critics naming him the breakout rather than the returning cast.
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