Entertainment

McKenna Grace and the Hunger Games Cast Bring Panem Style to London

By Willie Pena • November 2, 2026

Excerpt: McKenna Grace, Joseph Zada and the cast took Panem to a London rooftop—and brought the fashion. Here’s what the photo call and the film’s first fan screening revealed about the prequel.

London has seen some dramatic entrances. This week, the cast of The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping gave the London Eye a very stylish view of Panem. With the city skyline as a backdrop, the rooftop photo call already had a scene-stealing plus-one—and the cast wasn’t exactly blending into the background, either.

Joseph Zada, Whitney Peak, McKenna Grace, Kieran Culkin, Elle Fanning, Glenn Close and Jesse Plemons gathered with director Francis Lawrence and producer Nina Jacobson. The London visit also marked the film’s first fan screening, a major stop on a global publicity tour that has brought thousands of fans and moviegoers together for their first chance to experience the prequel.

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 28: <> a “Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping” Photocall at The Corinthia on October 28, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Lionsgate)
LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 28: <> a “Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping” Photocall at The Corinthia on October 28, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Lionsgate)
LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 28: <> a “Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping” Photocall at The Corinthia on October 28, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Lionsgate)
LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 28: <> a “Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping” Photocall at The Corinthia on October 28, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Lionsgate)
LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 28: <> a “Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping” Photocall at The Corinthia on October 28, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Lionsgate)

Panem, with a runway detour

Fashion is doing more than supplying a photo-op moment. The cast has leaned into individual styles, with subtle nods to the world of Panem mixed in. McKenna Grace, who plays Maysilee Donner, wore vintage Gucci that echoed Lucy Gray’s iconic rainbow dress. It’s a wink to another memorable Hunger Games look—and exactly the kind of detail fans can spot while the rest of us are still zooming in.

Joseph Zada was dashing in Tom Ford, Whitney Peak wore Chanel, and Elle Fanning channeled Effie Trinket’s unmistakable flair in custom Valentino Couture. Put those looks together and this is less “press-line uniform” and more a mini parade of personal style. Panem may have a dress code, but apparently it leaves room for a little fashion mischief.

Back to the Second Quarter Quell

Sunrise on the Reaping travels 24 years before the events of the original Hunger Games. It follows 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy (Zada), a District 12 teen whose story begins on the morning of the reaping for the 50th Hunger Games, known as the Second Quarter Quell. These are the biggest Games yet—with twice as many tributes sent into the arena.

Inside, Haymitch forms an unlikely alliance with fellow tribute Maysilee Donner (Grace). He also joins a coalition determined to challenge the Capitol’s control under President Snow (Ralph Fiennes). As the competition closes in, Haymitch risks everything to take down the Games from within, setting in motion the rebellion that will change Panem.

That premise gives the prequel a different kind of tension: the arena is a fight to survive, but the story is also about the resistance beginning to take shape. We know where Panem’s history eventually leads; this is a chance to see one of the sparks that helped set it off.

The team behind the trip to Panem

Lawrence directs the film, with a screenplay by Billy Ray and Michael Lesslie, based on Suzanne Collins’ bestselling novel. The cast also includes Jesse Plemons, Glenn Close, Kieran Culkin, Elle Fanning, Maya Hawke, Whitney Peak, Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Ben Wang. The film is produced by Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson and Lawrence.

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is rated PG-13 for strong violence, bloody images, disturbing material, some smoking and teen drinking. It opens in U.S. theaters November 20, 2026. Until then, the press tour is giving fans two things to keep an eye on: what’s happening in Panem, and what the cast wears along the way.