The major antagonist of the Hunger Games franchise is being recast in the sixth film, and a first look at the new actor in costume was spotted on the set. Sunrise on the Reaping is the next movie in the Hunger Games series and is a prequel focusing on the 50th Quarter Quell, aka the games in which Haymitch Abernathy emerged as the victor. Set 24 years before the first The Hunger Games, Panem's President Snow is a bit younger than when audiences meet him during Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta's (Josh Hutcherson) games, and that has led to a new actor taking over the role.
Ralph Fiennes was cast as the middle-aged President Snow in Sunrise on the Reaping. A poster on the set of the new Hunger Games movie, currently filming in Europe, revealed a first look at his iteration of the character. Shared by Film Updates on X, Snow is featured in a propaganda banner that proclaims: "Our President Coriolanus Snow. Panem's No. 1 Peacekeeper."
In the image, Fiennes can be seen with Snow's recognizable white hair and is wearing a blue uniform, similar to the one he wore in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. He is also depicted holding a white rose, another of President Snow's trademarks.
When Snow was introduced in Sunrise on the Reaping, he was around 58 and held the presidency for a few decades. He rose to the position after serving as a Peacekeeper and then a Gamemaker. This poster suggests that Snow's time as a Peacekeeper, which was explored during The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, is something he carries with pride and has made him a revered soldier and President.
Fiennes will be the fourth actor to portray Coriolanus Snow in The Hunger Games franchise. Throughout the main quadrilogy of films, Snow was played by the late Donald Sutherland.
Snow's appearance was faithfully translated from Suzanne Collins' novels. The president is depicted with snowy white hair and beard and always has a white rose in his lapel.
When audiences first meet Snow during the 74th Hunger Games, he'd already been the President of Panem for decades. He was eventually deposed during the rebellion in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Parts 1 and 2.
Collins' fourth Hunger Games novel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, focused on Snow as a main character, exploring his origin story and role in the 10th annual Hunger Games.
In the film adaptation, Coriolanus was played by two actors. When he is introduced in the opening as a child, Snow is played by Dexter Sol Ansell. The role was then handed over to Tom Blyth, who portrays Snow as a young man.
During his younger years and before he was elected president, Snow's look was less defined, and he was shown with platinum blonde hair. However, Snow is given a military buzzcut when sent to District 12 to serve as a Peacekeeper.
After this period, and a twist involving Rachel Zegler's Lucy Gray Baird, Snow starts to become the sinister villain he's known for being in The Hunger Games.
Sunrise on the Reaping is directed by Francis Lawrence and will star Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy, alongside a cast that includes Elle Fanning, Maya Hawke, Mckenna Grace, and Jesse Plemons. The film is scheduled for release on November 20, 2026.
What To Expect From Ralph Fiennes as President Snow in Hunger Games 6
Audiences will meet Fiennes' version of President Snow several times in Sunrise on the Reaping. However, unlike in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, where Snow played a main role, the villain's inclusion in Sunrise on the Reaping is more similar to that of the original Hunger Games trilogy; he is an overarching force overseeing the games and threatening the victors should they step out of line.
Sunrise on the Reaping will show on screen several of the tactics Coriolanus Snow used to become and maintain his presidency. As was explained in the Mockingjay films, President Snow rose to power due to his cunning and manipulation by poisoning his enemies. However, to avoid suspicion, Snow would always drink the same poison as his enemies before taking an antivemon, but these efforts still had side effects. He is also known for maintaining order during the Hunger Games by threatening the tributes with the fates of their loved ones on the outside, a tactic he will utilize in Sunrise on the Reaping.
Despite being the fourth actor to take on the role of Snow, Fiennes (who recently starred in 28 Years Later) will have plenty of new material to bring to the table for the villain in this new prequel. The actor has proven himself adept at playing villainous roles, having served as Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter series, and The Hunger Games gives Fiennes a chance to bring his take on another franchise villain.
