Succession alum Kieran Culkin has officially landed the role of young Caesar Flickerman in Lionsgate's upcoming Hunger Games prequel, Sunrise on the Reaping, ending months of fan speculation.
Lionsgate made the announcement on X/Twitter, confirming Culkin's casting as Panem's flamboyant gameshow host for the 2026 adaptation. The mystery surrounding who would portray Flickerman had captivated fans since rumors first surfaced earlier this year. With the official confirmation in place, anticipation builds for Lionsgate's latest dive into the Hunger Games universe.
Sunrise on the Reaping serves as another prequel to the original Hunger Games series, set after 2023's The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes but decades before Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss Everdeen entered the arena. Culkin inherits the role from Stanley Tucci, who delivered an iconic performance as Flickerman in the original film series that concluded in 2015.
"Kieran's magnetic screen presence and natural charisma make him ideal to embody Caesar Flickerman - the unsettlingly captivating emcee of Panem's brutal entertainment," said Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Co-President Erin Westerman. "While Stanley Tucci created an unforgettable version of the character, Kieran will undoubtedly bring his own unique interpretation to the role."
Caesar Flickerman.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping - in theaters November 20, 2026. pic.twitter.com/hggGysk4Nd
— The Hunger Games (@TheHungerGames) May 21, 2025
Culkin's recent career trajectory makes him particularly suited for the flamboyant gameshow host role. After earning widespread acclaim as Roman Roy in Succession and his BAFTA/Golden Globe/Oscar-winning performance in A Real Pain, the actor has proven his ability to balance humor with dramatic depth. Longtime movie fans may remember his early roles in 1990s classics like Father of the Bride and Home Alone, where he starred opposite his brother Macaulay Culkin.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping hits theaters November 20, 2026. The adaptation of Suzanne Collins' novel features an all-star cast including Ralph Fiennes reprising his role as President Snow, Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket, Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee, and Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy.
