Ralph Fiennes to play President Snow in new ‘Hunger Games’ prequel

 — After donning cardinal robes in “Conclave,” British actor Ralph Fiennes is off to join “The Hunger Games” franchise as the notorious Coriolanus Snow.

Fiennes will portray Snow in “Sunrise on the Reaping,” a prequel to the main series focusing on District 12 contestant Haymitch Abernathy and the 50th iteration of the Hunger Games.

Haymitch, portrayed in the main franchise by Woody Harrelson, was the last victor from District 12 before dual winners Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark (Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson, respectively).

The late Donald Sutherland portayed Snow in the main franchise, while Tom Blyth played a young version of the character in another prequel, “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.”

Producer Nina Jacobson said in a statement that they wanted to honor Sutherland, who died last year, by tapping a great, generational actor to play Snow.

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“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,'” Jacobson added.

“Schindler’s List” scored Fiennes his first-ever Oscar nomination in the Best Supporting Actor Category. He then got leading actor nods for “The English Patient” in 1996 and, most recently, for “Conclave.”

Fiennes’ casting comes after announcements of Joseph Zada as Haymitch, Whitney Peak as Lenore Dave Baird, Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner, and Ben Wang as Wyatt Callow.

Portraying younger versions of characters seen in the sequel movies are Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Beetee Latier, Maya Hawke as Wiress, and Lili Taylor as Mags Flanagan.

Franchise director Francis Lawrence helms the project on a script by Billy Ray. “Sunrise on the Reaping” is currently set for a November 2026 release.