Glenn Close and Billy Porter Join Hunger Games Film Cast

LOS ANGELES, CA — Glenn Close and Billy Porter are officially cast in the upcoming film, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, based on Suzanne Collins’ latest novel. The announcement was made during Lionsgate‘s presentation on June 16, 2025.

Close will portray Drusilla Sickle, known as the cruel escort to the District 12 Tributes, while Porter takes on the role of her estranged husband, Magno Stift, a lackluster designer for the Tributes. They join an impressive cast that includes Joseph Zada, Whitney Peak, Mckenna Grace, Jesse Plemons, and Ralph Fiennes among others.

The film, directed by Francis Lawrence with a screenplay by Billy Ray, is set to release on November 20, 2026. Producer Nina Jacobson praised Close, stating, “She brings so much of her intellect and imagination to each role, creating characters who are unforgettable and iconic.”

About Porter, Jacobson remarked, “He made an indelible impression on me when we worked together on Pose. To be able to announce Glenn Close and Billy Porter together is an embarrassment of riches that we can all celebrate.”

Sunrise on the Reaping recaptures the world of Panem 24 years before the iconic events of The Hunger Games, focusing on the reaping of the Fiftieth Hunger Games, also called the Second Quarter Quell.

The book, released on March 18, 2025, sold 1.5 million copies in its first week across several countries, with 1.2 million sold in the U.S. alone, doubling previous sales records in the franchise.

As part of the ongoing franchise, which has grossed over $3.3 billion worldwide, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping aims to bring fans a new chapter in the beloved series.