Ralph Fiennes has been cast as President Coriolanus Snow in Lionsgate's latest adaptation from the Hunger Games series, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. The announcement of Fiennes joining the project was made public through the official Hunger Games X/Twitter account. As an acclaimed actor with roles in The Conclave and the Harry Potter series, Fiennes steps into a crucial role in the saga.
Sunrise on the Reaping is set in the timeline between the original Hunger Games quartet, featuring Jennifer Lawrence, and the prequel The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes released in 2023. The latter introduced audiences to a younger Snow, portrayed by Tom Blyth, depicting his transformation into the ruthless dictator played by Donald Sutherland in the earlier films. Fiennes' portrayal will explore a middle phase of Snow's life, focusing on District 12 tribute and eventual victor, Haymitch Abernathy.
Producer Nina Jacobson expressed excitement about Fiennes' casting, stating, "We wanted to honor Donald Sutherland by having one of this generation’s greatest actors play President Snow 24 years before Katniss Everdeen entered the arena. Working with Ralph has been on my bucket list since he traumatized me for life in Schindler's List. It’s genuinely a thrill to welcome him to the Hunger Games."
While Fiennes' announcement has generated significant buzz, he is not the only exciting addition to the cast. Other notable cast members include Jesse Plemons, known for his roles in Breaking Bad and Civil War, who will play a younger version of the character originally portrayed by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, Plutarch Heavensbee. Additionally, Joseph Zada, recognized from Total Control and Invisible Boys, has been cast as Haymitch.
President Snow.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping – in theaters November 20, 2026. pic.twitter.com/mj9gXk1hTt
— The Hunger Games (@TheHungerGames) May 16, 2025
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is based on the 2025 novel by Suzanne Collins and is slated for a theatrical release on November 20, 2026. The film will be directed by Francis Lawrence, who has been involved with the series previously, and the screenplay is penned by Billy Ray, the original writer for the Hunger Games films. The project was announced last summer, followed by a teaser trailer released in April of this year.
