2026 Hunger Games Movie: First Look at President Snow’s Replacement Actor

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A new actor is taking on the role of President Snow in the upcoming sixth Hunger Games movie, Sunrise on the Reaping. The film is a prequel set 24 years before the original story, focusing on the 50th Hunger Games – the one where Haymitch Abernathy won. Because the story takes place in the past, a younger actor is needed to play Snow. Fans have already gotten a first glimpse of him in costume on set.

Ralph Fiennes will play President Snow in the upcoming movie, Sunrise on the Reaping. A poster from the European film set offered the first glimpse of his portrayal of the character. Film Updates shared an image on X showing Snow in a propaganda banner with the message: “Our President Coriolanus Snow. Panem’s No. 1 Peacekeeper.”

The image shows Ralph Fiennes portraying President Snow, complete with the character’s signature white hair. He’s wearing a blue uniform reminiscent of the one from *The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes*, and is holding a white rose, a well-known symbol associated with the character.

When we first meet Snow in *Sunrise on the Reaping*, he’s about 58 years old and has been President for several decades. He worked his way up to that position after being a Peacekeeper and then a Gamemaker. This poster hints that Snow is proud of his time as a Peacekeeper – a period explored in *The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes* – and that it contributed to his image as a respected soldier and leader.

Ralph Fiennes is taking on the role of Coriolanus Snow, becoming the fourth actor to play the character in *The Hunger Games* series. Previously, Donald Sutherland, who recently passed away, famously portrayed Snow throughout the original four movies.

The character of Snow closely matches his description in Suzanne Collins’ books. He’s shown with completely white hair and a beard, and is always seen with a white rose pinned to his suit.

President Snow had been in power for many years by the time Katniss Everdeen entered the 74th Hunger Games. He was ultimately removed from office during the events of *The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Parts 1 and 2*.

In Suzanne Collins’ fourth Hunger Games book, *The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes*, the story centers on a young Coriolanus Snow and reveals his background, as well as his involvement in the tenth Hunger Games.

The character of Coriolanus Snow was portrayed by two different actors in the movie. Dexter Sol Ansell played Snow as a child in the beginning, and Tom Blyth took on the role as the young adult Snow.

Before becoming president, Snow wasn’t as polished in appearance and was often depicted with platinum blonde hair. Once he was stationed in District 12 as a Peacekeeper, his hair was cut into a short, military-style buzzcut.

After that part of the story, and especially after what happened with Lucy Gray Baird – Rachel Zegler really brought her to life! – you start to see Snow truly become the cold, calculating villain we all know from *The Hunger Games*. It’s like, that’s the moment things really shift for him.

Francis Lawrence is directing Sunrise on the Reaping, which will feature Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy. The movie also stars Elle Fanning, Maya Hawke, Mckenna Grace, and Jesse Plemons, and is set to come out on November 20, 2026.

What To Expect From Ralph Fiennes as President Snow in Hunger Games 6

Viewers will see President Snow, as portrayed by Fiennes, appear throughout *Sunrise on the Reaping*. But unlike *The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes*, where he was a central character, his role in this new film is more like it was in the original *Hunger Games* trilogy: he’s a powerful figure in control of the games, and a looming threat to anyone who breaks the rules.

The new film, Sunrise on the Reaping, will reveal how Coriolanus Snow gained and held onto power. As seen in the Mockingjay movies, Snow was a master manipulator who used poison to eliminate his rivals. To cover his tracks, he would often drink the poison himself before taking an antidote, though this still affected his health. He also kept control of the Hunger Games by threatening the tributes’ families, and this tactic will be further explored in Sunrise on the Reaping.

Okay, so Ralph Fiennes is stepping into the shoes of Snow – making him the fourth actor to play the character. But honestly, after seeing him in 28 Years Later, I think he’s going to make the role his own. The man clearly *gets* villains – let’s not forget his chilling performance as Voldemort in the Harry Potter films. This prequel gives him another chance to really sink his teeth into a major franchise bad guy, and I’m genuinely excited to see what he does with it.

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2025-09-18 17:58