Ralph Fiennes Is ‘Excited' To Play Donald Sutherland's Iconic Hunger Games Role
Ralph Fiennes and Sutherland have worked together in the 2006 political satire Land of the Blind, directed by Robert Edwards.
Ralph Fiennes, best known for playing Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter film series, is all set to step into the shoes of another iconic character. He has been roped in to play President Coriolanus Snow, a character made famous by the late Donald Sutherland in the original Hunger Games films, in the upcoming The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.
As expected, the 62-year-old actor is really excited to play the character, once essayed by Sutherland, who passed away in June 2024 at the age of 88. 'Obviously big shoes to sort of stand alongside of, but he brought wonderful complexity to that part, and I'm playing a slightly younger version of him," he told Entertainment Tonight, adding, 'I am challenged but excited. I'm looking forward to it."
Fiennes also talked about working with the late actor, saying, 'I worked with Donald Sutherland once. I thought he was fantastic." The two stars worked in the 2006 film Land of the Blind. Directed by Robert Edwards, it was a political satire in which the duo hatch a plan to assassinate their country's leader.
While speaking with The Hollywood Reporter at the London premiere of his film 28 Years Later on June 18, the Harry Potter actor said that he was really 'thrilled" to join the world of Hunger Games. Sharing his thoughts on portraying a younger version of Sutherland's character, Fiennes revealed, 'Look, I'm a Donald Sutherland fan," and added, 'I'm not going to try and be Donald Sutherland, because no one can be him. But I think the character he created is very complex… The complexity of that psychology, I hope I can echo in some way."
Lionsgate's upcoming film, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, is based on a new book by Suzanne Collins and is set 24 years before Katniss Everdeen's time in the arena. The story will revolve around the Hunger Games of that time and will show the rise of a younger Snow to power. Fiennes will star alongside Whitney Peak, Mckenna Grace, Joseph Zada, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Maya Hawke, Jesse Plemons, Elle Fanning, Kieran Culkin, Lili Taylor, Molly McCann, Iona Bell, and Ben Wang. Directed by Francis Lawrence, Sunrise on the Reaping is set to hit theatres on November 20, 2026.
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