Ralph Fiennes Cast as President Snow in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping

Ralph Fiennes has been cast as President Coriolanus Snow in Lionsgate's latest adaptation, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. The announcement was made via the official Hunger Games X/Twitter account, marking another significant casting reveal for the eagerly awaited film.

Ralph Fiennes. Image credit Daniele Venturelli/WireImage.

Sunrise on the Reaping is set in the timeline between the four Hunger Games films starring Jennifer Lawrence and the 2023 prequel, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The latter explored a young Snow, portrayed by Tom Blyth, as he evolves into the ruthless dictator played by Donald Sutherland in the original series. Fiennes' portrayal will focus on a middle-aged Snow, during the time when District 12 tribute Haymitch Abernathy becomes a Hunger Games victor.

Producer Nina Jacobson expressed her excitement about Fiennes joining the cast, 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' casting is highly anticipated, he is not the only exciting addition to the film. Jesse Plemons, known for his roles in Breaking Bad and Civil War, will play a younger version of Philip Seymour Hoffman's character, Plutarch Heavensbee. Additionally, Joseph Zada, from Total Control and Invisible Boys, will portray Haymitch Abernathy.

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 Suzanne Collins' 2025 novel and is set to hit theaters on November 20, 2026. The film will be directed by series veteran Francis Lawrence, with the screenplay penned by original Hunger Games writer Billy Ray. The project was announced last summer, followed by a teaser trailer released in April.