Snow always lands on top. Ralph Fiennes has been cast as the villainous President Coriolanus Snow in “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.” He joins previously announced cast members Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy, Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird, Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner, Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee, Maya Hawke as Wiress, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Beetee, Lili Taylor as Mags and Ben Wang as Wyatt.
The formidable leader of Panem has previously been portrayed by Donald Sutherland in the original four films, and in his younger years by Tom Blyth in 2023’s “A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.” Fiennes’ Snow will fall between the two, 40 years after the events of “Songbirds” and 24 years before Katniss Everdeen’s time in the arena.
Fiennes, a BAFTA and Tony winner, most recently starred in Edward Berger’s “Conclave,” which earned him Oscar and Golden Globe nominations as well as a SAG Award for the ensemble cast. He’s next set to appear in Danny Boyle’s “28 Years Later.”
The film adaptation of “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping” will be released on Nov. 20, 2026. Lawrence, who has helmed every installment of the franchise since 2012’s “Catching Fire,” will direct from a screenplay adaptation by Billy Ray. Color Force’s Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson will produce. Cameron MacConomy will executive produce. The five films in the franchise so far have taken in over $3.3 billion at the box office.
“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,” Jacobson said. “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.”
Jacobson spoke to Variety earlier this year about the series’ ability to attract acclaimed talent like Viola Davis and Julianne Moore (and now Fiennes). “We’ve been blessed with very sophisticated actors in our roles. They draw in and attract real acting talent, because her characters are so deep, the ideas are so powerful. It’s a franchise that is still really rooted in incredible character trauma,” she said.
“Sunrise on the Reaping” sold 1.5 million copies in its first week on sale in the U.S., U.K., Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The 1.2 million copies sold in the U.S. are twice the first week sales of “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” and three times the first week sales of “Mockingjay.”
Meredith Wieck and Scott O’Brien are overseeing the project for Lionsgate. Phil Strina negotiated the deal for the studio.
Fiennes is represented by CAA and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern in the US and 42MP in the UK. The Hollywood Reporter was first to report his casting.
