Sci-Fi Bulletin: Exploring the Universes of SF, Fantasy, Horror and Spy-fi!

With Sunrise on the Reaping on the way next year, the Hunger Games movies are about to catch up with the books once again, reports Alasdair Stuart. There’s some speculation that this may be the last book too, and a recent casting announcement certainly has the feeling of things coming full circle.

In addition to original trilogy director Francis Lawrence returning, original stars Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson are also back. Lawrence played Katniss Everdeen and Hutcherson played Peeta Mellark, the two District 12 kids who survived their first Hunger Games and became the spark for the final rebellion in Panem’s blood-soaked history. They were both excellent in the roles and if you’ve not seen the now 13(!) year old original and its sequels, now’s the time.

Given the novel is set decades before the Hunger Games they competed in, and in fact were born, there’s a solid chance this is flashforward. My guess is it’s also a bookend, something to put a button on the series and tie the prequel novels to the original trilogy. It’ll be good to have them back, and fun to find out how they play into it.

They’re joined in the cast by Ralph Fiennes as President Snow, Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee, Kelvin Harrison Jr as Beetee Latier, Kieran Culkin in a frankly inspired choice as Caesar Flickerman and Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket. Joseph Zada, Glenn Close, Mckenna Grace, Maya Hawke and Whitney Peak are also in the movie. The script is by Billy Ray and the movie releases on 26th November next year.