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The Hunger Games universe is set to return in the theatres as Suzanne Collins's 2025 novel, Sunrise on the Reaping, will be adapted for the big screen. The film franchise that started in 2012 was led by Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson.
The prequel series, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, was released in 2023, and the latest film will continue the story forward. The prequel is set over two decades before the events of the first novel, in which Katniss Everdeen led a rebellion against the malevolent and tyrannical President Snow.
President Snow will also feature in the latest film and will be played by Ralph Fiennes, as announced by the franchise on social media on May 16, 2025. The film will also star Joseph Zada, Whitney Peak, McKenna Grace, Jesse Plemons, Kevin Harrison Jr., Maya Hawke, Lili Taylor, and Ben Wang in prominent roles.
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Ralph Fiennes has been cast as President Snow in The Hunger Games prequel
As mentioned above, Ralph Fiennes has been cast as a younger version of President Coriolanus Snow in the upcoming prequel of The Hunger Games franchise. An announcement was made through the franchise's official Instagram handle with a caption reading,
"President Snow. The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping – in theaters November 20, 2026."
The role had been previously played by the late Donald Sutherland in the original series and Tom Blyth in The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. As per E! News, in a press release, producer Nina Jacobson said,
"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."
The British actor is popularly known for playing Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter film series. He was recently nominated for an Academy Award for playing Cardinal Thomas Lawrence in the political thriller film Conclave. Furthermore, he is also known for his performances in projects including Schindler's List, The English Patient, The Reader, The Hurt Locker, and The Grand Budapest Hotel, among several others.
The cast of Sunrise on the Reaping explored
The other prominent cast members of Sunrise of the Reaping have also been announced on the franchise's official Instagram handle. Joseph Zada will be seen as Haymitch Abernathy. The character was previously portrayed by Woody Harrelson in the original films. Additionally, the film would explore the character as a contestant in the 50th Hunger Games.
Whitney Peak would play Abernathy's girlfriend, Leonore Dove Baird, a resident of District 12. Another important character, Maysille Donner, who resents the Capitol for its dehumanization of people, will be played by McKenna Grace.
Below is the complete list of actors and the roles they play:
- Ralph Fiennes as President Snow
- Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy
- Whitney Peak as Leonore Dove Baird
- McKenna Grace as Maysille Donner
- Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee
- Kevin Harrison Jr. as Beetee
- Maya Hawke as Wiress
- Lili Taylor as Mags
- Ben Wang as Wyatt Callow
The film is scheduled to be released across the theatres in the United States on November 20, 2026.
Stay tuned for more news and updates on The Hunger Games prequel, Sunrise on the Reaping, and other such upcoming films.
