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 eagerly awaited adaptation, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. This casting news was shared through the official Hunger Games X/Twitter account, marking a significant announcement in the series' casting reveals.

Ralph Fiennes. Image credit: Daniele Venturelli/WireImage.

Sunrise on the Reaping is set in the timeline between the earlier Hunger Games films, which starred Jennifer Lawrence, and the prequel The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes from 2023. The latter film explored a young Snow, portrayed by Tom Blyth, and his transformation into the dictator played by the late Donald Sutherland in the original series. Fiennes’ portrayal in Sunrise on the Reaping will depict a middle-aged President Snow, focusing on the story of District 12 tribute and future victor, Haymitch Abernathy.

Producer Nina Jacobson expressed enthusiasm 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' casting is highly anticipated, he is not the only exciting addition to the film. Other notable cast members include Jesse Plemons, who will play a younger version of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s character Plutarch Heavensbee, and Joseph Zada, set to 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 based on Suzanne Collins’ 2025 novel and is slated for release on November 20, 2026. The film will be directed by series veteran Francis Lawrence and written by original Hunger Games screenwriter Billy Ray. The project was announced last summer, followed by a teaser trailer released in April of this year.