Maya Hawke Swaps Stranger Things for the Hunger Games: Everything We Know About Her Role as Wiress

The Hunger Games franchise is expanding once again, and this time it's bringing along one of Stranger Things' most beloved stars. Maya Hawke has officially been cast as Wiress in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, the highly anticipated prequel set to hit theaters on November 20, 2026. Directed by Francis Lawrence, who helmed three previous Hunger Games films, this sixth installment in the franchise promises to explore a darker chapter in Panem's history—and Hawke's involvement has fans buzzing with excitement.

Who is Wiress?

For those familiar with the Hunger Games universe, Wiress is a character who first appeared in Catching Fire, the second book and film in the original trilogy. Portrayed by Amanda Plummer in the 2013 film, Wiress was introduced as an eccentric and traumatized former victor from District 3, known for her genius-level intellect and her partnership with fellow victor Beetee. In Catching Fire, audiences saw Wiress struggling to communicate, often repeating the phrase "tick, tock" as she battled the psychological aftermath of her experiences. Sunrise on the Reaping, however, takes place 24 years before the events of the original Hunger Games. Set during the 50th Hunger Games—also known as the Second Quarter Quell—the story focuses on a young Haymitch Abernathy (played by Joseph Zada) as he faces the arena where 48 tributes compete instead of the usual 24. This prequel will show Wiress before her mental breakdown, offering a fresh perspective on the character.

Maya Hawke's Challenge: Playing Wiress Before the Trauma

In a revealing interview with Vogue Hong Kong, Maya Hawke opened up about the unique challenges of portraying young Wiress. The actress explained that the most difficult aspect of the role was understanding the character before her trauma. "The most difficult thing about playing Wiress is that the only Wiress we see in the movies is a Wiress in the aftermath of a massive plot point from Sunrise on the Reaping," Hawke shared. "This experience during this book informs when you meet Wiress in the later films and books, and she, you know, is pretty nonverbal and really struggles to communicate—that's the trauma response to her having been tortured at the end of Sunrise on the Reaping." Hawke's approach required careful consideration. While characters like Mags and Beetee were also tortured, they didn't become nonverbal like Wiress did. This meant that Hawke had to portray Wiress as someone already "dancing on the edge" of her mental health, someone whose psychological fragility would make her more vulnerable to extreme trauma. "Figuring out how not to foreshadow what happens to her too much, while also indicating why it might have happened to her in a more extreme way than her friends, was definitely the most difficult needle to thread," the actress explained. To prepare for the role, Hawke focused intensely on Suzanne Collins' novel, thinking deeply about who Wiress was before her tragic transformation. "What I did to prepare was to focus on the book and think deeply about the questions I was asking about who Wiress was before this happened, and what makes her unique and special."

From Stranger Things to the Arena

Maya Hawke's journey to this role is particularly meaningful given her personal connection to the franchise. The daughter of actors Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman, Maya made her acting debut in the 2017 BBC adaptation of Little Women, playing Jo March. She went on to appear in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) before landing her breakout role as Robin Buckley in Stranger Things Season 3. It was Jennifer Lawrence's portrayal of Katniss Everdeen, however, that left a lasting impact on Hawke as a young actress. In an interview with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show in January 2026, Hawke revealed, "Jennifer Lawrence's performance in the first four [Hunger Games] movies is a big part of the reason why I want to be an actor. She's amazing. I'm just such a big fan of hers, and so to be anywhere near that franchise means the world to me."

An Ensemble Cast for a Pivotal Story

Hawke joins an impressive ensemble cast for Sunrise on the Reaping. Joseph Zada leads as a young Haymitch Abernathy, with McKenna Grace as Maysilee Donner, Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird, Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Beetee, and Lili Taylor as Mags. The casting of Harrison Jr. as Beetee is particularly significant, as Beetee and Wiress—often called "Nuts and Volts" by other victors—share a close bond throughout the series. The screenplay adaptation was written by Billy Ray, with Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson producing through Color Force, the same team behind the previous Hunger Games films. The project reportedly has a budget exceeding $150 million, reflecting Lionsgate's confidence in the franchise's continued appeal.

What is Sunrise on the Reaping About?

Based on Suzanne Collins' novel of the same name, Sunrise on the Reaping begins on the morning of the reaping for the 50th Hunger Games. The Second Quarter Quell, a special edition of the Games designed to remind the districts of the Capitol's power, features a brutal twist: instead of one boy and one girl from each district, two boys and two girls are reaped, doubling the number of tributes to 48. The story centers on 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy from District 12, who will eventually become Katniss and Peeta's mentor in the original trilogy. Fans of the series know that Haymitch won his Games through cleverness and defiance, using the arena's force field against his opponents—a victory that came at a terrible personal cost when President Snow had his family and girlfriend killed as punishment. Wiress, as a District 3 victor and mentor, plays a crucial role in this narrative. The prequel will show her in the arena, competing alongside 47 other tributes, before the torture and trauma that would eventually leave her psychologically scarred.

Production and Release

Filming for Sunrise on the Reaping took place throughout 2025 and early 2026, with portions shot in Berlin, Germany. Maya Hawke confirmed in early 2026 that she had wrapped filming on the project. The film is scheduled for release on November 20, 2026, positioning it as a major holiday release and continuing the tradition of Hunger Games films dominating the late-November box office slot. Director Francis Lawrence, who directed Catching Fire, Mockingjay Part 1, Mockingjay Part 2, and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, returns to helm this prequel. His experience with the franchise ensures visual continuity and thematic depth, while his ability to handle large ensemble casts and complex action sequences makes him the ideal choice for this ambitious project.

Why This Role Matters

For Maya Hawke, playing Wiress represents more than just another role in a major franchise. It's an opportunity to explore complex themes of trauma, resilience, and mental health within the context of a dystopian narrative. Her thoughtful approach to the character—understanding Wiress as a fully realized person before her breakdown—promises to add depth and nuance to a character audiences have only seen in her most vulnerable state. The role also showcases Hawke's range as an actress. While Robin Buckley in Stranger Things is witty, sarcastic, and self-assured, Wiress requires a more delicate touch, portraying someone whose brilliance is coupled with fragility. It's a performance that could redefine how audiences view both the character and Hawke's capabilities as an actress.

Looking Ahead

As The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping prepares for its November 2026 release, anticipation continues to build. The combination of a beloved franchise, a talented ensemble cast, and a story that promises to explore the darkest corners of Panem's history has fans eagerly awaiting the film. For Maya Hawke, stepping into the arena as Wiress is both a personal dream fulfilled and a professional challenge that will test her skills as an actress. Her commitment to understanding the character's psychology, her respect for the source material, and her connection to the franchise's legacy suggest that her portrayal of young Wiress will be one of the film's standout elements. When the movie hits theaters in November 2026, audiences will finally see the Wiress that existed before the trauma—a brilliant, complex woman whose story deserves to be told. And thanks to Maya Hawke's dedication and talent, that story is in excellent hands.

May the Odds Be Ever in Her Favor

As production wraps and post-production moves forward, one thing is clear: Maya Hawke's transition from the Upside Down of Stranger Things to the brutal arena of the Hunger Games represents an exciting new chapter in her career. Fans of both franchises have every reason to be excited about what she'll bring to the role of Wiress when Sunrise on the Reaping finally arrives in theaters.