Maya Hawke accidently confirms Jennifer Lawrence return in Hunger Games prequel

Maya Hawke is sparking excitement among longtime fans of Hunger Games and Jennifer Lawrence.

During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Thursday, the Stranger Things star teased Jennifer Lawrence’s return to the franchise of the dystopian film series.

She confirmed the news that Lawrence would be returning to Panem as Katniss Everdeen in the upcoming prequel film Sunrise on the Reaping.

The 27-year-old star shared that Lawrence’s performance heavily influenced her career.

“Jennifer Lawrence’s performance in the first four movies is a big part of the reason why I want to be an actor. She’s amazing,” she shared, recounting how she saw Lawrence’s new film Die My Love in Germany, while shooting Sunrise on the Reaping.

Hawke, who is set to star as Wiress in the film further added, “I’m just such a big fan of hers, and so to be anywhere near that franchise means the world to me.”

When Fallon asked whether Lawrence was officially returning, Hawke hesitated briefly before nodding. “We’re allowed to say that? People know?” she asked. Fallon quickly replied, “They know now!”

Sunrise on the Reaping is adapted from Suzanne Collins’ 2025 novel of the same name and centers on Haymitch Abernathy during the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell.

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is set to hit theaters on November 20, 2026.