Taking a trip back to Panem! At this point, it seems like fans have watched and read the Hunger Games trilogy a thousand times and, frankly, it never gets old.
Most would agree that the world Suzanne Collins created when the first novel was published in 2008, will live on as one of the absolute best. In May 2020, the author release the book series’ prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, and it’s officially being transformed into a film. Prepare to be shipped right once again into the universe of Katniss and Peeta! Despite the fact that it probably will not include fan-favorites like Gale and Primrose, the novel — and subsequent movie — will introduce a group of brand new characters that fans are sure to fall in love with all the same.
After inquiries concerning when the film would officially premiere began to surface online, the studio responsible for the series, Lionsgate, gave a much-needed update. As per an August 2021 report published by Deadline, there’s plans to begin shooting in early 2022.
The Release Date
It was announced at the 2022 CinemaCon that the films would release on November 17, 2023.
The Title
Very much like the book, the film is set to be named The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. On October 4, 2019, Scholastic revealed the book’s name at New York Comic-Con.
The Annual Hunger Games
The flick and its accompanying novel are set to happen during the 10th annual Hunger Games, yet the actual events in the plot will have occurred 64 years before the events in the Hunger Games trilogy.
The Plot
As per The Hollywood Reporter, “The Hunger Games prequel film will focus on Coriolanus Snow at age 18, years before he would become the tyrannical President of Panem. Young Coriolanus is handsome and charming, and though the Snow family has fallen on hard times, he sees a chance for a change in his fortunes when he is chosen to be a mentor for the 10th Hunger Games, only to have his elation dashed when he is assigned to mentor the girl tribute from impoverished District 12.”
The Director
Director Francis Lawrence, the genius behind the original Hunger Games trilogy will return, so there’s no question that it will be amazing.
The Cast
It was announced in May 2022 that Tom Blyth will play young President Snow, or Coriolanus Snow. The actor is popular for portraying the titular Billy the Kid in Epix’s TV series Later that month, West Side Story star Rachel Zegler was announced as Lucy Gray Baird. And get this — Rachel’s real-life BF, actor Josh Andrés Rivera, is set to star along with her in the prequel as Sejanus Plinth!
In June 2022, five additional castings were announced as tributes. Jerome Lance will portray Marcus, the tribute from District 2 and Ashley Liao will portray Clemensia Dovecote, one of Coriolanus’s closest friends and mentor to a tribute from District 11. Knox Gibson will portray Bobbin, tribute from District 8; Mackenzie Lansing will portray Coral, tribute from District 4; while Aamer Husain will portray Felix Ravinstill, the mentor to a tribute from District 11.
