Summary

The Hunger Games prequel features a young Haymitch, Cesar, and President Snow, played by new actors.
Ralph Fiennes is taking on the role of President Snow, previously played by Donald Sutherland in the original movies.
The portrayal of President Snow by Fiennes will show a younger and more energetic version, distinct from Sutherland's calm villainy.

The Hunger Games franchise will return on November 20, 2026 with the Sunrise on the Reaping prequel movie. This will take place 24 years before Katniss Everdeen volunteered, with the focus on Haymitch Abernathy as he enters the 50th annual Hunger Games. Many familiar characters will be back, only played by younger versions.

Joseph Zada will be taking on the role of Haymitch instead of Woody Harrelson, while Kieran Culkin replaces Stanley Tucci as Cesar Flickerman. Elsewhere, Jesse Plemons will enter The Hunger Games franchise to be Plutarch Heavensbee, while former Harry Potter star Ralph Fiennes will be playing the iconic villain President Snow.

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By Matthew Wilkinson

President Snow was played by the legendary Donald Sutherland during the original Hunger Games movies. He proved to be a dastardly villain who quietly went about his business trying to control Panem. Sutherland brought an eerie calmness to the role to showcase his confidence while hiding a sadistic side within his tone and delivery that helped to make him such an iconic part. Replacing him in this movie will be no easy feat, and Fiennes spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about dealing with that task.

"Look, I'm a Donald Sutherland fan. I'm not going to try and be Donald Sutherland, because no one can be him. But I think the character he created is very complex… The complexity of that psychology, I hope I can echo in some way."

Fiennes might have a difficult challenge ahead of him in Sunrise on the Reaping, but he's a talented actor in his own right who has built a fantastic reputation for himself throughout his career. Fiennes has taken on various villains in the past, most notably as Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter films. Therefore, he should have no problem channeling his darker side to bring President Snow to life. However, this will be a younger version of the character, so it wouldn't be surprising to see him have slightly more energy than Sutherland's time in the role.

Fiennes will also not be the first person to step into Sutherland's shoes and take on the role of President Snow. That's because Tom Blyth played the role in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, which was another prequel movie in this franchise. The 2023 film featuring Rachel Zegler and Peter Dinklage was set even earlier in the story, with Snow being called upon as a mentor for the character of Lucy Gray Baird. It showed a slightly softer side to his personality while giving fans a clear idea of why he became the person he ultimately became, which has helped provide some crucial backstory to him.

The fact that there is a young and old version of President Snow already on film means that Fiennes will have no shortage of material to watch in order to base his version. Obviously, Fiennes' portrayal will have to align with how the character develops, and there are certain expectations of how he will look, act, and talk. However, Fiennes will be able to put his own spin on the role to ensure that it stands out and doesn't just feel like an emulation, as that's not what fans of the franchise are looking for. Instead, they will be treated to a new story and more President Snow details, which is a task that Fiennes is ready for in the upcoming Hunger Games movie.

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