Looks like the Kat(niss) is officially out of the bag. Jennfier Lawrence was previously reported to be joining the cast of the upcoming Hunger Games prequel film, Sunrise on the Reaping — but now, the actress has all but seemingly confirmed her participation in the project herself.
On a recent episode of journalist Josh Horowitz’s podcast Happy Sad Confused, the host mentioned Francis Lawrence, the director of all of the Hunger Games films thus far minus the 2012 original. Horowitz said that Lawrence and JLaw should have a chat, since he is also in the director’s chair for Sunrise on the Reaping.
“Maybe we already have,” Lawrence teased. That gave Horowitz the runway to respond: “If you believe everything on the internet.”
“Oh yeah, it is out on the Internet, isn’t it?” Lawrence replied, hinting at the reports from last month about her and costar Josh Hutcherson, who plays her character Katniss Everdeen’s love interest Peeta Mellark, joining the cast. Horowitz then followed up, “So I should see that Hunger Games movie is what you’re saying?” The actor gave the podcaster a subtle smile and confirmed, “Yes. Yeah.”
Lawrence, who won an Oscar for her work in the 2012 film Silver Linings Playbook, starred in the first four films of the franchise, with her last appearance on screen as Katniss coming in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2.
As far as her and Hutcherson’s return goes, there’s no official word on how their characters will be incorporated into the film, as it takes place 24 years before the original trilogy starts. However, fans have speculated that Katniss and Peeta will show up at the end of the film because the book the upcoming film is based on has a present day epilogue that features both characters listening to former victor and close friend Haymitch Abernathy (played by Woody Harrelson in the films) recount his own story of competing in the Games.
Francis Lawrence returns to direct the upcoming film from a script by Billy Ray. The film stars Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy alongside Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner, Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee, Ralph Fiennes as Coriolanus Snow, Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman, Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket, and Maya Hawke as Wiress.
Sunrise on the Reaping is set to arrive in theaters on November 26.
Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.