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Lionsgate revealed that Mckenna Grace will be playing the role of Maysilee Donner in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, the new chapter in the expanding world of Hunger Games. The movie will be out on November 20, 2026, and is an adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ same-named 2025 novel.
Grace, who blew us away as a Ghostbusters: Afterlife and The Handmaid’s Tale standout, gets to bring one of the series’ most critical but hitherto under-explored characters to life finally. Maysilee Donner is the District 12 volunteer who became best friends with underage Haymitch Abernathy during the 50th Hunger Games—a.k.a. the Second Quarter Quell. Though her stay in the first series was brief, Maysilee’s role is an important one in the history, especially as the first owner of the mockingjay pin that becomes the symbol of the rebellion for Katniss Everdeen.
The film will explore the tragic events of the Second Quarter Quell, which is a particularly brutal episode of the Games in which twice the normal number of tributes were reaped. The relationship of Grace is coupled with Haymitch—played by Joseph Zada—to survive the Capitol’s deadly arena. Their relationship is based on trust and shared intelligence, but it is reduced to tragedy when Maysilee is killed by genetically engineered Capitol muttations. Her death leaves a deep impact on Haymitch, shaping his defiant attitude towards the Capitol and also impacting how he guides Katniss years later.
Francis Lawrence, who directed some of the earlier Hunger Games films, returns to helm the prequel. Whitney Peak also stars as Lenore Dove Baird, the love interest of Haymitch. Casting and the return of the creative team show the studio attempting to match the emotional complexity and intensity that marked the earlier films in the franchise.
Grace’s casting is the cause of much fan and critical excitement. Her skill at portraying emotionally complex, intelligent women makes her an ideal choice for Maysilee—a heroine who is both tough and ethical, and whose tale finally is being given the attention it deserves.
With a solid cast, a compelling narrative, and deep roots to the first trilogy, Sunrise on the Reaping is shaping up to be a turning-point book in the Hunger Games series, offering readers a thorough look at the history that shaped Panem’s rebellion.
