Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping expands its cast by bagging Jesse Plemons for a major role

Jesse Plemons is officially on board to play Plutarch Heavensbee in the upcoming Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping. He will take over this role from Philip Seymour Hoffman from The Hunger Games: Mockingjay—Parts 1 and 2 and play the same character at a young age.

Here's a fun fact: Jesse Plemons has previously played the son of Philip Seymour Hoffman's character in Paul Thomas Anderson's 2012 psychological drama film, The Master.

Joining Plemons in the cast are Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy, Whitney Peak as his partner Lenore Dove Baird, and Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner. The film will be based on a novel by the same name, written by Suzanne Collins. Billy Ray, who co-wrote the first Hunger Games screen adaptation in 2012, will write the script. Francis Lawrence will return as director, having worked on every Hunger Games adaptation since 2013.

Jesse Plemons joins the Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping cast.

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The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will be a prequel to the first novel, adapted with Jennifer Lawrence as the lead. Its official plot synopsis, per IMDb, reads,

"Explores Panem 24 years before Katniss' saga, starting on the morning of the reaping for the 50th Hunger Games, where a young Haymitch Abernathy participates."

Jesse Plemons, who joins the cast, recently starred in Yorgos Lanthimos' Kinds of Kindness and will star in his upcoming Bugonia, alongside Emma Stone. Plemons will also be a part of Alejandro G. Iñárritu's yet-untitled film led by Tom Cruise.

While speaking about Jesse Plemons' casting, The Lionsgate Motion Picture Group co-president Erin Westerman said,

“Jesse is one of the most talented actors of his generation, with a proven record of picking his roles selectively. We are honored that he has chosen to bring his own take to one of the most fascinating figures in Panem and feel that his previous collaboration with Philip Seymour Hoffman makes it all the more special. His Plutarch [in Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping] will be both a tribute to the character fans have already come to know and a portrayal he makes his own. We can’t wait for audiences to see it.”

Nina Jacobson, who'll serve as a producer from Color Force with Brad Simpson, further added,

“Jesse has been one of my favorite actors since I first saw him in Friday Night Lights. We knew from the start that only an actor’s actor could play a young version of Plutarch [in Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping]. Jesse was the dream from the start and we couldn’t be prouder to have him join the Hunger Games family.”