Tom Blyth played the character in the 2023 prequel \"The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.\"

\"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 in a statement. \"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.\"

\"PHOTO:
Mario Wurzburger/WireImage via Getty Images, FILE
PHOTO: Ralph Fiennes attends the photocall of the film "The Return" at BCN Film Fest at Hotel Casa Fuster on May 2, 2025, in Barcelona, Spain.
>

The announcement follows Thursday's reveal of \"American Born Chinese\" star Ben Wang as Wyatt Callow, a tribute from District 12, as well as a host of other surprise castings shared as Instagram Reels on the Lionsgate and \"Hunger Games\" pages.

Also joining the cast for the fifth movie are Joseph Zada, Whitney Peak, Mckenna Grace, Jesse Plemons, Maya Hawke and Lili Taylor.

\"The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping\" hits theaters Nov. 20, 2026.

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