Sunrise on the Reaping movie, which is being helmed by longtime franchise director Francis Lawrence, stars Joseph Zada as Haymitch, Whitney Peak as his girlfriend Lenore Dove Baird, and Mckenna Grace as fellow District 12 tribute Maysilee Donner.

Lionsgate has now announced that Jesse Plemons has ed the cast of The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping as Plutarch Heavensbee, who was played by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman in the original movies. During the timeline of those movies, the character was the Head Gamemaker and a secret rebellion leader. This casting announcement confirms longstanding rumors that Plemons, who previously played the son of Philip Seymour Hoffman in 2012's The Master, had boarded the project. Below, read statements on Plemons' casting from Lionsgate Motion Picture Group co-president Erin Westerman and producer Nina Jacobson:

Erin Westerman: 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 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: 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. Jesse was the dream from the start and we couldn’t be prouder to have him the Hunger Games family.

What This Means For Sunrise On The Reaping

Jesse Plemons Is A Good Fit For The Hunger Games Prequel

In addition to having previously starred in a Philip Seymour Hoffman movie due to his familial resemblance, Jesse Plemons has a long resume that proves his ability to bring Plutarch to life with aplomb. Bringing the character to life properly will be very important to the overall franchise, as the story illustrates an important piece of the character arc that brings Plutarch into Katniss' orbit more than two decades down the road. Plemons has long since proven his ability to bring this arc to life with quiet gravity.

During the time of Sunrise on the Reaping, Plutarch is a cameraman whose job it is to film the District 12 tributes.

Plemons has taken on a wide variety of dramatic roles in the past that require him to display nuanced character moments, even without much dialogue, particularly when he ed the cast of The Power of the Dog, a 2021 Jane Campion movie that earned him an Oscar nomination. However, he has also revealed a facility with genre projects, having made a memorable appearance in the dystopian war movie Civil War and starred in two key episodes of the Netflix science fiction anthology series Black Mirror.

Our Take On Jesse Plemons ing Sunrise On The Reaping

His Role Continues A Hunger Games Tradition

By taking on the role of Plutarch in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, Jesse Plemons continues a longstanding trend of the Hunger Games movies. While the teen roles are cast with up-and-coming talent, the adult characters have been portrayed by a number of decorated actors. In the original movies, this included Emmy winner Donald Sutherland and Oscar nominee Stanley Tucci alongside Oscar winners such as Julianne Moore and Hoffman himself, while the 2023 prequel Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes featured the likes of Oscar winner Viola Davis and four-time Emmy winner Peter Dinklage.

Source: Lionsgate