After portraying one of the most well-intentioned, pious cardinals around in the recent "Conclave," Ralph Fiennes is returning to much more familiar waters as the biggest and baddest villain in the entirety of the "Hunger Games" franchise. After having quite a bit of success with the spinoff/prequel film "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes," Lionsgate is going full-tilt with the latest book adaptation from series author Suzanne Collins: "Sunrise on the Reaping." The new movie is meant to tell the story of a young Haymitch Abernathy, the alcoholic veteran of the Games previously portrayed as an older man by Woody Harrelson. That time period necessitates an appearance by the fascistic President Cornelius Snow, of course, and the studio has officially landed on Fiennes for the role.

The news arrives courtesy of Variety, which should actually come as little surprise to anyone who's followed the character actor's career to this point.