Ralph Fiennes has officially been cast as President Coriolanus Snow in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, and it’s hard to imagine a better choice for the role. Donald Sutherland’s steely yet charismatic performance as the leader of Panem in four films from 2012’s The Hunger Games to 2015’s The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 impressed moviegoers, so it was always going to be tricky to find the right actor to follow in his footsteps. Tom Blyth’s portrayal of an 18-year-old Snow in 2023’s The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes superbly embodied the character, however, this version was further removed from the callous tyrant Snow later becomes. Fiennes’ rendition of Snow should align more closely with Sutherland’s portrayal, as Sunrise on the Reaping takes place 24 years before the events of The Hunger Games and tells the story of Haymitch Abernathy’s (Joseph Zada) participation in the annual fight to the death. Fiennes has a notable track record of playing memorable villains with a viciousness only he could bring, making his upcoming role as President Snow even more exciting.
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The following five roles Fiennes has played make him a perfect fit to portray President Snow in the upcoming Hunger Games prequel movie.
1) Lord Voldemort
Fiennes played the iconic Harry Potter villain Lord Voldemort in four movies from 2005 to 2011, delivering an unforgettable rendition of the sinister wizard. Voldemort’s menacing face is far from the full extent of his threatening nature. Fiennes injects a genuine wickedness into the character through both dialogue and more intense battle sequences. Notoriously bloodthirsty, remorseless, and relentless in his pursuit of power, Voldemort requires a convincing level of evil, and Fiennes exudes an intimidating darkness from his debut in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire to his final appearance in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. Fiennes wasn’t the only actor to portray a version of the character in the film franchise, though his turn easily stands out as the most impressive.
Given Fiennes’ success with adapting a well-known book villain to the big screen, he should achieve a similar triumph with President Snow in Sunrise on the Reaping. Like Voldemort, Snow radiates a power-hungry callousness that feels authentic rather than comical. Although over a decade has passed since Fiennes last played Voldemort, his familiarity with communicating such malevolence will translate incredibly well to President Snow.
2) Amon Goeth
In Steven Spielberg’s 1993 film Schindler’s List, Fiennes portrayed the Amon Goeth, an SS officer and the commandant of the Krakรณw-Pลaszรณw concentration camp in Poland during the Nazi occupation of World War II. The movie’s main character, Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson), frequently interacts with Goeth, and the Nazi member’s evilness can immediately be felt. Fiennes expertly interprets Goeth’s banality in conversation and unimaginable moral depravity in front of those imprisoned at the camp. Fiennes’ performance in the role lives among the greatest portrayals of a movie villain based on a real person. Even though President Snow solely exists in fiction, his status as a sadistic tyrant strongly resembles a fascist authority figure such as Goeth. It will be fascinating to see how Fiennes communicates Snow’s charisma along with his cruelty in Sunrise on the Reaping.
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3) Chef Julian Slowik
2022’s The Menu is an electric, twist-filled satire about rich people. Fiennes plays Julian Slowik, a famous chef who invites a group of wealthy guests to a private island for a lavish multi-course meal. Slowik has more than a few tricks up his sleeve, as the evening turns unnerving, and eventually deadly. On a surface level, Slowik appears quite sinister, but The Menu‘s script and Fiennes’ magnetic performance do well to show his humanity. He’s indifferent to human suffering, but his lost passion for his craft attracts sympathy from audiences. Slowik exhibits more nuance when compared to the pure malevolence of Voldemort and Goeth, but the cleverness and spitefulness Fiennes brings to the character should resurface in his portrayal of President Snow.
4) Hades
A god exists among the many movie villains Fiennes has taken on. The star played Hades, god of the underworld, in 2010’s Clash of the Titans and its 2012 sequel Wrath of the Titans. The film received mostly poor reviews from critics and audiences; however, Fiennes’ portrayal of Hades was praised. Fiennes always has an imposing presence in front of the camera, and it’s extremely apparent in Clash of the Titans. As Hades, Fiennes effortlessly intimidates and convincingly expresses the villain’s lust for power and vengeance. These qualities Fiennes lends to Hades also apply to President Snow, providing the perfect preparation for the actor’s next villain performance. Making matters more interesting, the beard Fiennes sports as Hades should somewhat resemble how he’ll look in Sunrise on the Reaping.
5) Francis Dolarhyde
2002’s Red Dragon bases its story on the 1981 novel by Thomas Harris, focusing on the famous fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). In Red Dragon, Fiennes plays Francis Dolarhyde, a cannibalistic murderer inspired by Lecter’s deeds. Nicknamed the “Tooth Fairy,” Dolarhyde commits a series of disturbing crimes, from kidnappings to murders to setting houses on fire. Fiennes proves his excellence in villain roles in Red Dragon, flawlessly capturing his character’s unhinged bloodlust. President Snow isn’t nearly as outwardly deranged as Dolarhyde, though Fiennes’ ability to perform extreme actions and emotions complements his quintessential calmness well. Fiennes can seamlessly fit into any shade of evil demanded of him and his numerous top-notch villain performances demonstrate how he’s a perfect fit for President Snow in Sunrise on the Reaping.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping opens in theaters on November 20, 2026.
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