Kieran Culkin to Play Caesar in ‘Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping' (Exclusive)
Kieran Culkin is following up his Oscar win with a spot in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.
The actor has been cast as Caesar Flickerman in the forthcoming Lionsgate film, The Hollywood Reporter has learned exclusively. Francis Lawrence directs the movie adaptation of Suzanne Collins' best-selling novel that will hit theaters Nov. 20, 2026.
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Caesar is the eccentric host of the Hunger Games. Stanley Tucci portrayed an older version of the character in the series' first four films that kicked off with The Hunger Games hitting theaters in 2012.
Previously announced castmembers for Sunrise on the Reaping include Joseph Zada, Whitney Peak, Mckenna Grace, Jesse Plemons, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Maya Hawke, Lili Taylor and Ben Wang. THR's exclusive casting reporting has included Ralph Fiennes as the diabolical President Snow; Molly McCann and Iona Bell as standout book characters Louella and Lou Lou, respectively; and Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket.
Lawrence helms the movie from a script by Billy Ray that adapts Collins' book. Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson produce for Color Force, while Cameron MacConomy executive produces.
'Kieran's scene-stealing presence and undeniable charm are perfect for Caesar Flickerman, the sickeningly watchable host of Panem's darkest spectacle,' says Lionsgate Motion Picture Group co-president Erin Westerman. 'Stanley Tucci made Caesar unforgettable — and now Kieran will make the role entirely his own.'
Jacobson adds, 'Kieran's magnetism, wit and unpredictability make him a perfect fit for Caesar Flickerman. A host like Caesar transforms brutality into entertainment, and an actor as layered as Kieran makes sure we don't look away.'
Meredith Wieck and Scott O'Brien oversee Sunrise on the Reaping for Lionsgate. Phil Strina handled the deal on behalf of the studio.
The book Sunrise on the Reaping takes place in Panem on the morning of the reaping for the 50th Hunger Games, 24 years before the events in The Hunger Games, the first novel that published in 2008. The franchise's first five movies have surpassed $3.3 billion at the worldwide box office, with the initial four films led by Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen.
Culkin won the best supporting actor Academy Award earlier this year for A Real Pain and is a three-time Emmy nominee for Succession. He currently stars on Broadway in Glengarry Glen Ross alongside Bob Odenkirk and Bill Burr. Culkin is represented by WME, Brookside Artist Management and Relevant.
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