Following the success of President Snow's origin story, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, we're getting another Hunger Games prequel, and it will be all about Haymitch Abernathy. It seems obvious that the infamous president will return for this movie too. However, I'm now wondering if the District 12 victor who came before Haymitch, Lucy Gray, will return too. Well, Rachel Zegler has an answer.
If you remember at the end of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Lucy Gray’s fate is ambiguous. After she ran away with Coriolanus Snow, she ended up lying to him so she could escape while he wasn't paying attention. We have no clue where she went or if she survived past this point, but I'd like to think she's still alive and could come back.
So, since Lucy Gray was part of the 10th Hunger Games and Haymitch is in the 50th games, will we see Rachel Zegler reprise her role for Sunrise on the Reaping? The Snow White actress revealed her honest answer to Cosmopolitan, saying:
I would die at the chance to come back as Lucy Gray Baird, but I am not included.
I can understand why Lucy Gray Baird isn’t in the next Hunger Games prequel. The fate of her character is supposed to be a mystery. If she appeared in Haymitch’s world, I feel like her haunting ending wouldn't be as impactful. However, it would be interesting if Sunrise on the Reaping gave us some possible hints about what happened to the 10th winner of The Hunger Games.
It’s no secret that Rachel Zegler had a great time in the world of The Hunger Games. The West Side Story actress’s face in the BTS pics she couldn’t stop sharing said everything about how much fun she was having. Not to mention, she’s been a fan of the dystopian franchise since she saw the films in theaters as a child. Plus, she was eager for audiences to have strong reactions to her movie like she did when she saw the original trilogy.
So, to me, her response makes perfect sense. She would love to play the character she adores. However, it sounds like she's also happy with whatever creative decisions are made. Plus, this upcoming film will take place 40 years after the events of Songbirds and Snakes, so even if Lucy was in it, Zegler likely wouldn't play her.
Now, onto what we know about The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. Obviously, it will focus on Haymitch as he is chosen to participate in the second Quarter Quell. Also, Francis Lawrence -- who has helmed all The Hunger Games movies except the first one -- is in talks to direct the film.
At the moment, we don’t know which actor will get to take on the iconic role originated by Woody Harrelson in the OG trilogy. Fans have been crossing their fingers for their own choices though, as they've fan-cast House of Dragon star Tom Glynn-Carney and Cobra Kai actor Tanner Buchanan as Haymitch. So, it will be exciting to see who gets to play out this Hunger Games story that fans have been hoping to see for a long time.
Odds are, we'll see an entirely new cast of actors join Sunrise on the Reaping, which is so exciting. Getting to watch new actors' takes on characters like Haymitch and Snow is thrilling. And while I'd love to have Zegler back as Lucy, it'd also be fun to see a new actress take on the role.
All this is to say, I can't wait to see who gets cast in this upcoming Hunger Games movie, and in the meantime, I'm going to go re-watch Rachel Zegler in Songbirds and Snakes with a Starz subscription.
