Ralph Fiennes cast to play President Snow in ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping’
Acclaimed actor Ralph Fiennes has been cast to play the evil President Snow in The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping.
The Golden Globe nominee will play the central villain in the story. This is fitting, given that many first discovered Fiennes as Voldemort in the Harry Potter series. Snow was first played by Donald Sutherland in the original quadrilogy, followed by Tom Blyth in 2023 prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
Producer Nina Jacobson weighed in on this decision, 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.”
She continued: “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 previously wowed critics and film-goers with his role as the protagonist in Conclave. Far Out said of his performance: “Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Lawrence is nothing short of sensational, with his character introduced while he’s engrossed in a crisis of faith, grappling with the forces of good and evil as he tries to avoid power, stubbornly refusing to admit that his resentment of power makes him the best person for the job.”
Last month, it was confirmed that emerging actors Joseph Zada and Whitney Peak would play the lead roles in the new movie. Jesse Plemons was later revealed to have secured a role in the project as the young Plutarch Heavensbee, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman in the initial film series. Zada will star as District 12 tribute Haymitch Abernathy while Peak will portray his girlfriend Lenore Dove Baird.
Earlier this week, it was also revealed that Stranger Things actor Maya Hawke will play Wiress, a former Hunger Games champion turned District 12 mentor, in the upcoming movie. Additionally, McKenna Grace will portray Maysilee Donner, and Kelvin Harrison Jr has been cast as Beetee.
The upcoming feature is based on Suzanne Collins’ literary series of the same name, set 40 years after the prequel The Ballads of Songbirds & Snakes, but 24 years before the initial Hunger Games series.
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