Yellowstone star Jefferson White is lending his voice for the audiobook production of Sunrise on the Reaping, Scholastic announced Monday.
Sunrise on the Reaping, publishing on March 18, is the anticipated new novel in the worldwide bestselling The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins. The book will take place in the world of Panem 24 years prior to the events of The Hunger Games, on the morning reaping of the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the second Quarter Quell.
The 50th Hunger Games are noteworthy given that the victor was Haymitch Abernathy, the only winner from District 12 prior to Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark’s win years later. Haymitch, who like all victors went on to become a mentor to tributes from his district, was played by Woody Harrelson in the Hunger Games film adaptations.
A feature film adaptation of Sunrise on the Reaping will be released by Lionsgate on Nov. 20, 2026. Casting has yet to be announced.
“We are beyond thrilled to have the prodigiously talented Jefferson White narrate the audio edition of Sunrise on the Reaping,” Lori Benton, president of Scholastic Audio said in a statement. “With his ability to capture the subtle complexities of characters, Jefferson delivers a dynamic and nuanced performance that will draw listeners deeper into the raw emotion and intensity of the world Suzanne Collins has built. It’s an auditory adventure that you won’t want to miss!”
White added, “It’s an honor to be a small part of a world I’ve loved for so long—Suzanne Collins is a genius and it’s equal parts exhilarating and terrifying to be back in Panem.”
Among the Yellowstone spinoff slate is a 6666 spinoff series that was set to star White (who plays the character of Jimmy). But franchise mastermind Taylor Sheridan put the series on hold after his purchase of the property where the show would be filmed, the Four Sixes ranch in Texas. (The Montana ranch in Yellowstone is fictional, but the Four Sixes ranch, featured as the 6666 Ranch in the series, is real.) “That, for a number of reasons, needs a unique level of special care because this is a real place with real families working here,” he explained in The Hollywood Reporter’s 2023 cover story. “You have to respect the lineage. I’ve told [the studio] to be patient.”
White’s Jimmy exited Yellowstone as a main character in the season four finale, but continued to recur in the flagship series through season five until its recent season (and likely series) finale in December 2024.
In addition to Yellowstone, White also starred in Alex Garland’s Civil War alongside Kirsten Dunst, and in William Oldroyd’s Eileen with Anne Hathaway and Shea Whigham. Sunrise on the Reaping is his first audiobook.
Jefferson is repped by The Gersh Agency, Principal Entertainment LA, and Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Feldman, Rogal, Shikora, & Clark.
Sunrise on the Reaping will be published on March 18, 2025, simultaneously in print, digital and audio formats by Scholastic.
A teaser for the audiobook can be heard here.
Jackie Strause contributed to this story.
