Ben Wang Joins The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping as District 12 Tribute Wyatt
The cast of The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping continues to grow with the exciting addition of Ben Wang. The rising star has officially been cast as Wyatt Callow, the male tribute from District 12, in the much-anticipated prequel based on Suzanne Collins’ latest bestselling novel. Lionsgate confirmed the exclusive casting news, further building excitement for the next chapter in the blockbuster franchise.
Wang joins an already impressive cast that includes Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy, Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird, Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner, Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee, Maya Hawke as Wiress, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Beetee, and Lili Taylor as Mags. The film is set to be released in theaters on November 20, 2026.
Ben Wang’s Breakout Career and Upcoming Roles
Ben Wang is best known for his lead role as Jin Wang in the Disney+ series American Born Chinese, where he starred alongside Oscar winners Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan. The young actor has been steadily building a strong Hollywood résumé with roles in both mainstream and indie productions.
Wang will also headline Sony Pictures’ Karate Kid: Legends, scheduled for release on May 30, 2025. He landed the role after a global talent search that attracted over 10,000 submissions. In addition, Wang stars in The Long Walk, an adaptation of the Stephen King novel directed by Sunrise on the Reaping filmmaker Francis Lawrence.
Ben recently completed two more leading roles in independent films. One is a coming-of-age story titled Brian, co-starring William H. Macy, Randall Park, and Edi Patterson, and produced by Seth Meyers. The other is an R-rated comedy Untitled Celebrity Pass Movie, directed by David Wain and starring Zoey Deutch, Jon Hamm, and John Slattery. His past work also includes roles in Mean Girls (2024) and the Disney+ film Chang Can Dunk.
Wang is a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and is represented by Artists First, Stewart Talent, and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham.
Sunrise on the Reaping Prequel Sets the Stage for a New Era of Panem
Sunrise on the Reaping, published on March 18, revisits the world of Panem 24 years before Katniss Everdeen’s journey, beginning on the morning of the Fiftieth Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell. The book sold 1.5 million copies in its first week, with 1.2 million in the U.S. alone, doubling the debut of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and tripling the launch sales of Mockingjay.
The film adaptation is directed by Francis Lawrence, who has helmed every Hunger Games film since 2013’s Catching Fire. The screenplay is written by Billy Ray, and production is led by Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson under the Color Force banner. Lionsgate veterans Meredith Wieck and Scott O’Brien are overseeing the project, while Robert Melnik handled the deal for the studio.
With Ben Wang officially joining the cast, excitement is rising for what promises to be a thrilling and emotional return to the Hunger Games universe. His role as Wyatt, a young tribute from District 12, will no doubt be one of the central figures in a story full of sacrifice, strategy, and survival.
Stay tuned for more casting announcements and behind-the-scenes updates as production gears up.
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