Kieran Culkin joins 'The Hunger Games' cast as host Caesar Flickerman
Oscar and Emmy winner Kieran Culkin has joined The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping as magnanimous host Caesar Flickerman in the movie, reported Variety.
Actor Stanley Tucci played the role of host Flickerman in the original quartet of films.
Culkin has joined previously announced cast members Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy (lead actor), Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird, Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner, Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee, Maya Hawke as Wiress, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Beetee, Lili Taylor as Mags, Ben Wang as Wyatt, Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket and Ralph Fiennes as President Snow, reported Variety.
The new film is based on Suzanne Collins' novel of the same name.
The movie reportedly visits the world of Panem nearly a quarter of a century before the events of those films, where Woody Harrelson's Haymitch Abernathy served as a mentor to Jennifer Lawrence's character Katniss Everdeen and Josh Hutcherson's Peeta Mellark in The Hunger Games film series.
In Sunrise on the Reaping, Haymitch is the main character, as the action begins on the morning of the reaping of the 50th Hunger Games, known as the Second Quarter Quell, in which he enters the deadly arena, according to Variety.
Earlier this year, Culkin won the Oscar in Best Supporting Actor category for his performance opposite Jesse Eisenberg in A Real Pain.
He's halfway to EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) status after winning the lead actor drama Emmy for the final season of HBO's Succession, where he played Roman Roy.
Culkin currently appears on Broadway starring in the sold out run of Glengarry Glen Ross with Bob Odenkirk and Bill Burr.
Joseph Zada will be Haymitch Abernathy.
As for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, the film adaptation of a novel will be released on November 20, 2026.
Francis Lawrence, who has helmed every instalment of the franchise since 2012's Catching Fire, will direct from a screenplay adaptation by Billy Ray.
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