©Courtesy of Lionsgate

Joseph Zada delves into the “life-altering experience” of adopting Woody Harrelson’s persona for a recently debuted futuristic adaptation of “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping,” released this year

Zada plays in the new “Hunger Games” sequel, derived from Suzanne Collins‘ 2025 novel bearing the same title, as Haymitch Abernathy, a younger version of the mentor role portrayed by Harrelson in the initial four “Hunger Games” movies. Between the 2023 prequel “The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” and its predecessor “The Hunger Games,” a new film follows young Haymitch from the franchise, who is compelled to participate in a version of the deadly annual competition featured in the main series, with twice as many tributes as the original

The movie will feature characters younger than those in the original “Hunger Games” films. For example, Jesse Plemons has taken on the role of the late and great Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Plutarch Heavensbee, while Elle Fanning, who stars in “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” as Effie Trinket, originally played by Elizabeth Banks, lends her talents to this film.

“Elizabeth and Woody have an amazing dynamic,” Fanning says, recalling their chemistry in the original “Hunger Games” movies, which he notes reminded him of Joe and his own chemistry in the films.