For Haymitch’s Birthday, Here’s a Behind-The-Scenes Look at the New ‘Hunger Games’

Happy Fourth of July! Or, in the world of The Hunger Games — Happy Birthday, Haymitch… which was always the date when the reaping for The Hunger Games took place.

In honor of Haymitch’s birthday — and the date of the reaping, Lionsgate has released a behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming installment of the franchise: The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. In the video, we are introduced to Haymitch Albernathy, played by Afghan-Aboriginal Australian actor Joseph Zada.

Zada plays the younger Haymitch, originally played by Woody Harrelson. Director and producer Francis Lawrence, who has directed all The Hunger Games films since 2013’s Catching Fire, introduces the film, which takes place during the second Quarter Quell (50th game), which doubled the number of participants.

When Haymitch’s partner, Lenore Dove (Whitney Peak), tries to protect a tribute who was killed, he steps in to protect her. Capitol escort Drusilla Sickle (Glenn Close) demands that Haymitch be chosen to replace the fallen tribute. There are then clips of all the tributes in the training room, which looks like it’s set in the ’70s, when technology was less advanced than it was by the time Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) was even born.

Producer Nina Jacobson relays that Haymitch has mischief to him, ever since Harrelson played him. Zada feels honored to play such a role with such an actor. He says, “It’s just so special to share that space with him.”

Based on Suzanne Collins’ books, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is a prequel to Haymitch’s time in the Games. Unless you’ve read the books, it’s interesting to watch how the film showcases the man who would become Katniss’ mentor and the man who would take down the Capitol.

It’s also fascinating to see that Effie Trinket (originally Elizabeth Banks, now Elle Fanning) and Haymitch’s friendship came to be. Before she became the official escort for District 12, she was Haymitch’s stylist, prepping him for the Games and the Tour.

Wyatt Callow (Ben Wang) is the other male tribute chosen, and you can assume he doesn’t make it in the end, which is so depressing because Wang was also in The Long Game, and his character didn’t make it either. Am I a bit bitter? Yes. Maysilee Donner (Mckenna Grace) and Lou Lou (Iona Bell) are the female tributes from District 12.

If Maysilee sounds familiar, she is the twin sister of Merrilee Undersee, the mayor’s wife during Katniss’ time. After the death of Maysilee, Marrilee was never the same, constantly asking for painkillers due to frequent, massive headaches that caused her to be dormant. Maysilee was also the original owner of the Mockingjay pin, which Merrilee’s daughter Madge eventually gives to Katniss.

If fans of the franchise remember the Easter Eggs from before, Beetree (originally played by Jeffrey Wright, now Kelvin Harrison Jr.), the victor in the 34th Hunger Games, lost his son, Ampert (Percy Daggs IV), in this game. As the films connect to the original trilogy, fans will see how all the dominoes lined up for the fall of the Capitol and President Snow (original Donald Sutherland, prequels Tom Blyth, now Ralph Fiennes).

Plutarch Heavensbee (originally played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, now Jesse Plemons) was the game master for the 75th Annual Hunger Games, but at the time, he was a cameraman who recorded the reaping in District 12. He would also eventually become the man behind the Capitol rebellion.

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping Official Synopsis:

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will revisit the world of Panem 24 years before the events of The Hunger Games, starting on the morning of the reaping of the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell.

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping opens in theaters on November 20.