The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes actor Tom Blyth addresses his potential return as Coriolanus Snow in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping
. Following the success of the first prequel in 2023, a new Hunger Games movie is confirmed to be on the way. Adapting the events of Collins’ upcoming book, Sunrise on the Reaping‘s story takes place 24 years before the story of Katniss Everdeen during the 50th Hunger Games, which featured Haymitch Abernathy competing. No casting information for the prequel has yet been revealed.

During a recent interview with Variety, Blyth comments on whether he will be reprising his role as Snow for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. The actor confirms that audiences shouldn’t expect to see him back as Snow or Rachel Zegler back as Lucy Gray Baird, largely due to the prequel being set nearly five decades after the events of Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Check out Blyth’s full comment below:

“Rachel [Zegler]and I are not going to be in this one because the next one takes place 45 years after ours did. It makes me sad because I miss everyone involved. I did text Francis the other day, and he said, ‘I miss you.’ And I said, ‘Well, prosthetics are really great these days. It wouldn’t be that hard to make me look 65.’”

What Blyth’s Update Means For Sunrise On The Reaping

The Hunger Games Prequel’s Story Questions Explained

So far, relatively little is known about Sunrise on the Reaping. Franchise veteran Francis Lawrence, who has directed every Hunger Games movie since Catching Fire in 2013, is confirmed to be returning to the director’s chair once again for the upcoming prequel, meaning it will likely feature the same general visual aesthetic as the recent installments. The fact that Collins’ source material hasn’t been released yet means there isn’t actually any concrete story information to go off of for the new movie.

Haymitch competed in the 50th Hunger Games, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he will be The Sunrise on the Reaping‘s main character. Audiences, after all, already know what becomes of him. It’s not clear how prominently Snow will feature in the narrative, but he would be in his early 60s during the events of the film. Considering Blyth is 29, this would obviously be quite a stretch. If Snow does appear in the movie, he will likely be played by yet another actor, with original Snow actor Donald Sutherland having pᴀssed away last year.

Our Take On Blyth’s Sunrise On The Reaping Update

Recasting Snow Will Be A Challenge

Reviews for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes were generally positive, though somewhat lukewarm, from critics, with praise aimed at the movie’s cast and action. Both Blyth and Zegler were standout performers in the film, but it makes sense that they’re not returning. In addition to the timeline issues, Zegler’s Lucy Gray Baird also gets a mysterious ending that is perhaps left untouched.

As for who will be next to play Snow, they will clearly have some big shoes to fill. Playing the character in his 60s will be relatively close to Sutherland’s version of the character, and comparisons will be inevitable. With the novel for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping set to hit shelves on March 18, 2025, more information about the prequel movie isn’t far off.

Source: Variety