Kieran Culkin, a Los Angeles Academy Award and Emmy winner, has been cast as the generous host Caesar Flickerman in “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.”

The part was portrayed by actor Stanley Tucci in the first four movies.

Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy, Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird, Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner, Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee, Maya Hawke as Wiress, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Beetee, Lili Taylor as Mags, Ben Wang as Wyatt, Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket, and Ralph Fiennes as President Snow are among the cast members who have already been revealed. Culkin joins these actors. Iona Bell will play her Capitol-assigned doppelganger Lou Lou, while Molly McCann will also play Louella.

Variety.com reports that the new movie, which is based on Suzanne Collins’ book of the same name, returns to the world of Panem almost 25 years before the events of those movies, where Josh Hutcherson’s Peeta Mellark and Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen were mentored by Woody Harrelson’s Haymitch Abernathy.

The protagonist of “Sunrise on the Reaping,” Haymitch, enters the lethal arena on the morning of the 50th Hunger Games’ reaping, also known as the Second Quarter Quell.

“Caesar Flickerman, the nauseatingly likable emcee of Panem’s darkest show, is the ideal fit for Kieran’s scene-stealing charisma and indisputable charm. Caesar was made iconic by Stanley Tucci, and Kieran will now fully inhabit the part, according to Lionsgate Motion Picture Group co-president Erin Westerman.

Culkin’s work with Jesse Eisenberg in “A Real Pain” earned him the Oscar for best supporting actor earlier this year. After winning the lead actor drama Emmy for the last season of “Succession,” in which he portrayed Roman Roy, he is halfway to EGOT status.

Culkin is now performing with Bob Odenkirk and Bill Burr in “Glengarry Glen Ross” on Broadway.

On November 20, 2026, the movie version of “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping” will be released. Lawrence, who has directed all of the franchise’s films since “Catching Fire” in 2012, will take the helm based on a Billy Ray script adaptation. Brad Simpson and Nina Jacobson of Color Force will produce.

“Kieran is a perfect fit for Caesar Flickerman because of his charm, wit, and unpredictable nature,” Jacobson said.

“A host like Caesar turns brutality into entertainment, and an actor as multi-layered as Kieran ensures we don’t turn away,” Jacobson said.