Accio, President Snow? The Capitol just found its voice — and it’s one we know all too well. Ralph Fiennes has officially been cast as Coriolanus Snow in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, Lionsgate’s latest installment in the ever-expanding dystopian franchise based on Suzanne Collins‘ bestselling novels. Harry Potter villain Fiennes, who played Lord Voldemort across the franchise, joins the prequel’s already starry cast that includes Joseph Zada as a young Haymitch Abernathy, Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird, Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner, Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee, Ben Wang as Wyatt Callo, Maya Hawke as Wiress, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Beetee, and Lili Taylor as Mags.

Fiennes’ version of Snow falls squarely between Tom Blyth’s portrayal in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and Donald Sutherland’s iconic original performance. Set 40 years after Songbirds and 24 years before Katniss Everdeen takes up her bow, Sunrise on the Reaping will see the rise of a calculating, hardened Snow as Panem prepares for its 50th Hunger Games — the brutal Second Quarter Quell.

This latest installment will once again be directed by Francis Lawrence, who has helmed every Hunger Games film since Catching Fire. Billy Ray is adapting the screenplay, with Color Force’s Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson producing alongside Cameron MacConomy as executive producer.

The prequel is based on Collins’ latest novel, which sold 1.5 million copies globally in its first week — doubling the opening sales of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and tripling those of Mockingjay.

Ralph Fiennes’ Casting Will Honor Donald Sutherland

Jacobson, who has overseen the franchise’s casting from the start, said the decision to cast Fiennes was about continuing a tradition of excellence. “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,” she told Variety. “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.”

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping hits theaters November 20, 2026.

via Collider