Jhaleil Swaby has been tapped to play Panache, a fierce and arrogant career tribute from District 1, in Lionsgate’s upcoming prequel The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. Known for his aggression and swagger, Panache is expected to be a formidable presence in the arena.
Set 24 years before the events of The Hunger Games, the story follows a young Haymitch Abernathy, played by Joseph Zada, during the 50th Hunger Games—infamously dubbed the Second Quarter Quell. With a deadly twist doubling the number of tributes, 48 children are forced into a brutal fight for survival, including Panache, whose ruthless District 1 training makes him a standout among the competitors.
Swaby joins a star-studded cast that includes Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird, Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner, Billy Porter as Magno Stift, Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee, Kelvin Harrison Jr as Beetee, Lili Taylor as Mags, Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket, Ralph Fiennes as President Snow, Glenn Close as Drusilla Sickle, Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman, Ben Wang as Wyatt Callow, Maya Hawke as Wiress, Molly McCann as Louella McCoy, and Iona Bell as Lou Lou.
Francis Lawrence, who helmed several prior Hunger Games films, including Catching Fire and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, returns to direct. The screenplay is by Billy Ray, with producers Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson once again shepherding the franchise under their Color Force banner. Cameron MacConomy is executive producing, with Meredith Wieck and Scott O’Brien overseeing the project for Lionsgate.
Based on Suzanne Collins' bestselling novel, Sunrise on the Reaping delves deeper into the legacy and politics of Panem, exploring the early scars left by the Games and the origins of the rebellion to come. The film is slated to hit theatres on November 20, 2026.
