Do you remember that time when Young Adult book adaptations ruled cinema? Yes, that was the early 2010s, when everything from The Fault in our Stars to Divergent ruled the silver screens.
At the top of this game was the Hunger Games trilogy, which set a box office success benchmark that most other YA adaptations couldn’t even follow. And rumor has it that the franchise is back!
Lionsgate will be adapting the Hunger Games prequel novel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, into a movie releasing on November 17, 2023. It will depict the conditions that shape President Snow into the evil villain of the franchise.
When author Suzanne Collins first released the book, it was met with criticism since the villainous Snow was the main protagonist. But seeing how the story did not aim to humanize him, its subsequent positive response has greenlit a prequel movie. Here are all the details:
1. Plot
The movie is set to be an adaptation of the prequel novel. Story-wise, it is set during the 10th Hunger Games and follows a much younger Coriolanus Snow, who is far from becoming the president.
During these games, he is chosen to mentor a tribute from District 12—Lucy Gray Baird—who sparks the Capitol’s attention with her singing during the reaping.
If you’re a complete novice to the Hunger Games universe, you may not know that Snow is actually one of the main antagonists of the series. The prequel novel gave fans an insight into what sealed the deal for his character, as well as built the franchise’s history and larger universe.
As the film is still in its early stages, it is unknown if it will follow the book to the T. But you can rest assured that this is a very “villain-in-the-making” story that tries to dissect the human psyche.
2. Characters, Cast, and Trailer
Tom Blyth has been cast in the main role of Coriolanus Snow. Other than this, no major casting details have been shared yet.
As filming has only started in mid-2021, no trailer for Songbirds and Snakes is out yet.
3. Release Date
The film is set to release in theaters on November 17, 2023.
The announcement of the same was made during the 2022 CinemaCon, where Lionsgate also premiered a teaser message depicting tree branches with the words, “The world will discover… who is a songbird… and who is a snake.”
Francis Lawrence, who directed three of the four Hunger Games movies, is set to return, with Michael Arndt serving as the scriptwriter. Nina Jacobson and Suzanne Collins will act as producers.
4. Should you watch/read the Hunger Games before this film?
Technically, you don’t have to, since most of the characters or storylines from the OG series won’t appear in Songbirds and Snakes. But as a fangirl, the answer is always yes!
Both the novels and films are top-notch and I really think that from an audience perspective, you might get more excited about this prequel if you know who Snow is in Hunger Games and the kind of things he’s done.
Plus, the film is releasing at the end of 2023, so you have plenty of time to kill. Why not do it with Hunger Games? Borrowing a quote from the book: There are worse games to play.
5. Will the Hunger Games cast appear in Songbird and Snake?
As this story is set 64 years before the first Hunger Games book (when Katniss was 16), it is unlikely that any of the franchise’s main characters/actors will make a cameo in Songbirds and Snakes.
So, sorry, that’s a no on Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, or even Sam Claflin appearing.
But if you’re a fan, you can expect a lot of Easter eggs that will expand the Hunger Games world you’re already familiar with and certainly give you a big dose of nostalgia!
6. About The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is an upcoming film based on the book of the same name by American author Suzanne Collins. It is a spin-off and a prequel to The Hunger Games trilogy.
The film adaptation from Lionsgate is expected to release in late 2023 or early 2024. Director Francis Lawrence will return to direct. Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson are returning as producers. Collins and Michael Arndt will adapt the screenplay.
The dystopian action-adventure novel follows 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow, who is chosen to mentor a tribute in the upcoming 10th Hunger Games.
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