‘The Hunger Games’ to return in prequel film ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ – report
A prequel to The Hunger Games movies is currently in production.
Accoring to a Variety report, Lionsgate presented a teaser for The Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, at the annual CinemaCon trade show for theater owners.
No cast was announced, but the clip contained "striking shots of icy tree branches and a eye-catching gold as text scrolled that reads, ‘The world will discover… who is a songbird… and who is a snake,’” according to the report.
The official The Hunger Games Twitter account re-tweeted a post from the Film Updates account all but confirming the news.
welcome back, tributes. https://t.co/4TTzJ9PfR7
— The Hunger Games 🔥 (@TheHungerGames) April 28, 2022
New hunger games incoming #CinemaCon pic.twitter.com/CGSpLtT3F6
— Dominic Hernandez (@D_hernandez912) April 28, 2022
Lionsgate further announced that audiences will get to see the prequel film when it releases in theaters on Nov. 17, 2023.
Taking place decades before Hunger Games protagonist Katniss Everdeen went into a televised battle royale with other young people from the 12 districts of Panem, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes focuses on a young Coriolanus Snow, the future tyrant of Panem. However, in this story, Snow isn't evil (yet), but is an 18-year old mentor to Lucy Gray Baird, a tribute from an impoverished District 12 at the 10th celebration of the Hunger Games.
Francis Lawrence, who directed the last three Hunger Games movies, will return to direct the prequel, with The Hunger Games: Catching Fire co-screenwriter Michael Arndt (under the name Michael deBruyn) returning to write the screenplay.