Latest news with #PresidentSnow
Digital Trends
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
Ralph Fiennes cast as President Snow in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping
Ralph Fiennes is adding another iconic movie villain to his list of incredible roles. The actor who once played Voldemort in the Harry Potter franchise is now set to take on the role of President Snow in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. Fiennes joins a cast that already includes Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy, 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 and Ben Wang as Wyatt. Fiennes will be the third actor to step into the role after Donald Sutherland played an older version of the character in the original films, and Tom Blyth played an even younger version in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Sunrise is set between the events of that film and the original quadrilogy. Recommended Videos '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,' producer Nina Jacobson said. '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 is already a legendary actor known for far more than just playing Voldemort. He's also starred in films like The Grand Budapest Hotel, The English Patient, and the aforementioned Schindler's List. He is also set to star in 28 Years Later, which will hit theaters later this year. Sunrise on the Reaping is slated for a Nov. 20, 2026, and will be directed by Francis Lawrence, who has helmed every film in the franchise since Catching Fire.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'The Hunger Games' Makes Big Ralph Fiennes Announcement
The Hunger Games franchise has announced that Ralph Fiennes will portray President Snow in the upcoming prequel film, Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. The film is based on Suzanne Collins' novel, Sunrise on the Reaping, and is set to hit theaters November 2026. Set 24 years before the events of the first Hunger Games novel, Sunrise on the Reaping follows 16-year old Haymitch Abernathy and his journey to win the 50th Hunger Games. In the original Hunger Games trilogy, Haymitch - mentor to Katniss Everdeen - was played by Woody Harrelson. In the upcoming prequel, Australian actor Joseph Zada, will take on a younger, less jaded version of the character. Zada's previous work includes the television series Invisible Boys (2025), Total Control (2024), and the film The Speedway Murders (2023). The cast has been revealed slowly, with Maya Hawke, Lili Taylor, and Kelvin Harrison Jr. also joining the project. The announcement of Fiennes' casting was made May 16 on X. Fans have been vocal in sharing their thoughts. One user wrote, "THIS IS THE GREATEST CASTING EVER." Another shared, "Ralph Fiennes as President Snow is not just casting - it's a declaration of war on subtlety, mercy, and my emotional stability. This man is about to the rebellion into silence." Some were disappointed that Keifer Sutherland - the son of Donald Sutherland, who played President Snow in the original trilogy - was not cast. One commented, "Are you kidding??? So not Kiefer Sutherland who is the spitting image of Donald Sutherland? C'mon" Fiennes' history of dark and villainous roles - including Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter Series, Amon Goeth in Schindler's List (1993), and Chef Slowik in The Menu (2022) - suggests he is well-suited to play the ruthless and tyrannical President Snow.
