Rafe Fines tries on the role of the villain again — actor play President Panem Coriolanus Snow in the prequel «The Hunger Games» with the subtitle «Catching Fire».
The story of Haymitch Abernathy, a participant in the 50th anniversary Hunger Games from District 12, is at the center of the prequel’s plot. The character appeared in the original films, played by Woody Harrelson, as a mentor to Katniss and Peeta. The young version of the character will be played by Joseph Zada, his love interest — Whitney Peake, а Maya Hawke from «Stranger Things» will take on the role of ViressThe rest of the cast also includes Mackenna Grace, Jesse Plemons, Calvin Harrison Jr.
«When Haymitch’s name is called, all his dreams are shattered. He is torn from his family and love, and sent to the Capitol with three other members of District 12: a friend who is almost like a sister, an obsessive eccentric, and the bravest girl in the neighborhood. When the Games begin, Gaimitch realizes that he is set up for defeat, but something inside him makes him fight… and in a way that will be known far beyond the deadly arena».
Coriolanus Snow — is another iconic literary villain that Fiennes is bringing to his body of work, along with the role of Lord Voldemort, which he played during his 10 years of work on the Harry Potter films. Previously, the character was embodied on screen by the late Donald Sutherland directly in «The Hunger Games» and Tom Blythe in prequels «A Ballad of Songbirds and Serpents»
Francis Lawrence, the longtime director of the franchise, will direct the filming process, and he seems to have taken the adaptation of dystopian worlds quite seriously — in September, we are waiting for the premiere of the film «The Long Walk» based on the novel by Stephen King (first shots and trailer is already available).
The movie «The Hunger Games: Catching Fire» will debut in theaters on November 20, 2026, and in addition to Haymitch’s backstory, it promises to show the most brutal competition in the history of the Hunger Games — this time, the districts are charged a double tribute, which means that 48 boys and girls will compete for their lives.
As for Fiennes, the actor has had a rather fruitful last few years: last year he brilliantly played the role of the Dean of Cardinals in the Oscar-winning political detective thriller «Conclave»and in June will debut inDanny Boyle’s new movie «28 years later».
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