Ralph Fiennes has been tapped to play President Coriolanus Snow in Lionsgate’s latest book-to-movie adaptation, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.
The Conclave and Harry Potter alum’s attachment to the upcoming film was revealed via the official Hunger Games X/Twitter account today. He’s the latest in a long line of Hunger Games casting reveals, and he’s also got one of the most important parts to nail.
Sunrise on the Reaping takes place before the four Hunger Games films led by Jennifer Lawrence and after 2023’s early prequel, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The latter focused on a young Snow, played by Tom Blyth, as he is molded into Panem’s jaded dictator, who the late Donald Sutherland portrayed in the 2010s film series. Fiennes’ role in Sunrise on the Reaping puts him more in the middle of President Snow’s life as its story places a lens on District 12 tribute and eventual Hunger Games victor, Haymitch Abernathy.
“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,” Producer Nina Jacobson said in a statement. “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.”
Fiennes might top the list when it comes to fans’ most-anticipated casting announcements for Sunrise on the Reaping, but he’s far from the first name to have audiences looking forward to the upcoming adaptation. Other highlights include Jesse Plemons (Breaking Bad, Civil War), who was revealed to be playing a young version of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Plutarch Heavensbee, as well as Joseph Zada (Total Control, Invisible Boys), who will star 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 an adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ 2025 novel of the same name and is scheduled to come to theaters November 20, 2026. Series veteran Francis Lawrence will direct from a screenplay by original Hunger Games scribe Billy Ray. The movie was announced last summer, with a teaser trailer following this past April.
Image credit Daniele Venturelli/WireImage.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
