The 'Hunger Games' are back, with an A-list cast and brutal origin story for Haymitch

Three years ago, new cinematic life was found in a “Hunger Games” adventure without Katniss. Now, the franchise is back, jumping through time again to check in on another major character from the original films in his teenage years: Haymitch Abernathy.Before he became the cynical, hard-drinking mentor to Katniss and Peeta, memorably portrayed by Woody Harrelson, Haymitch was just another tribute from District 12 trying to survive the brutal games, literally and spiritually.The franchise has never had a problem enlisting top-tier talent to play the Capitol’s ruling class, and in “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping,” in theaters Nov. 20, many get to put their stamp on younger versions of established characters: Ralph Fiennes is President Snow, Jesse Plemons is Plutarch Heavensbee, Elle Fanning is Effie Trinket and Kieran Culkin is Caesar Flickerman.But if director Francis Lawrence and producer Nina Jacobson have learned anything over their years of making “Hunger Games” movies, it’