We have more exciting The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping casting news! Oscar winner Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain) has officially been cast as Caesar Flickerman, the flamboyant and unsettling host of the Hunger Games. Flickerman was originally made iconic by Stanley Tucci (Conclave) in the original Hunger Games films.

Culkin joins a star-studded cast that includes Joseph Zada, Whitney Peak, Mckenna Grace, Jesse Plemons, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Maya Hawke, Lili Taylor, Ben Wang, Ralph Fiennes, and Elle Fanning. The film, directed by franchise veteran Francis Lawrence, is set to hit theaters on November 20, 2026.

“Kieran’s scene-stealing presence and undeniable charm are perfect for Caesar Flickerman, the sickeningly watchable host of Panem’s darkest spectacle,” said Erin Westerman, co-president of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group. “Stanley Tucci made Caesar unforgettable—and now Kieran [Culkin] will make the role entirely his own.”

Producer Nina Jacobson echoed the sentiment: “Kieran’s magnetism, wit, and unpredictability make him a perfect fit. A host like Caesar transforms brutality into entertainment, and an actor as layered as Kieran makes sure we don’t look away.”

Adapted from Suzanne Collins’ bestselling novel published on March 18, Sunrise on the Reaping revisits Panem 24 years before the original trilogy, during the reaping for the Fiftieth Hunger Games; also known as the Second Quarter Quell. The book has already proven a hit, selling 1.5 million copies in its first week across English-speaking markets.

The screenplay is being adapted by Billy Ray. Producers include Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson for Color Force, with Cameron MacConomy executive producing. Lionsgate’s Meredith Wieck and Scott O’Brien are overseeing the project, with Phil Strina negotiating the deal.

The franchise has earned over $3.3 billion globally to date.

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