The Hunger Games release date
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes – What We Know So Far
The highly anticipated prequel film in the Hunger Games franchise, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, is set to hit theaters later this year. Here is everything we know so far about the plot, cast, release date and more for this sci-fi adventure film.
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Release Date and Format
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is scheduled for a theatrical release on November 17, 2023. The film will be released in standard and IMAX formats.
Plot and Setting
The prequel film takes place 64 years before the events of the original Hunger Games trilogy. It focuses on an 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow, who would later become the tyrannical President Snow. The story is set against the backdrop of the 10th Hunger Games competition.
Snow is chosen as a mentor to Lucy Gray Baird, the female tribute from the impoverished District 12. The relationship between the two central characters is at the core of the plot. Their fate intertwined against the increased unrest and rebellion brewing in the districts.
Cast and Characters
- Tom Blyth as young Coriolanus Snow
- Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird
- Hunter Schafer as Tigris Snow
- Jason Schwartzman as Lucretius “Lucky” Flickerman
- Peter Dinklage as Casca Highbottom
- Viola Davis will play Dr. Volumnia Gaul, the gameskeeper, while Josh Andrés Rivera has been cast as Sejanus Plinth, the close friend of young Snow.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
| Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Hunter Schafer, Jason Schwartzman, Peter Dinklage, Viola Davis, Laurel Marsden, Dakota Shapiro, Vaughan Reilly, George Somner |
| Release Date |
| 17 November 2023 |
| Action, Sci-Fi |
| Director Francis Lawrence |
Production Details
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is directed by Francis Lawrence, who helmed the last three Hunger Games films. The screenplay is adapted by Michael Arndt and Michael Lesslie from Suzanne Collins’ 2020 novel of the same name.
The prequel film is produced by Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson. It has a reported budget of $200 million, making it one of Lionsgate Studio’s most expensive productions. Principal photography began in May 2022 and took place in Berlin and Prague.
Trailer
The first teaser trailer for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was released in November 2022. It offered a glimpse into the world of Panem 64 years before Katniss Everdeen’s story. The official trailer dropped in April 2023, showcasing the lead characters Snow and Lucy Gray.
What to Expect
As a prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will likely have several callbacks and references linking it to the original Hunger Games trilogy. Given Suzanne Collins’ involvement, fans can expect faithfulness to the source material.
The trailers hint at high production values with epic visuals and scale. Tom Blyth and Rachel Zegler seem promising in the lead roles. The all-star supporting cast is also exciting for fans.
With its release coming nine years after the last Hunger Games film, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes has a lot of pent-up demand. If executed well, it could kick off a new era for the lucrative sci-fi franchise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. When is The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes being released?
The Hunger Games prequel is scheduled to release in theaters on November 17, 2023.
Q2. What is the basic plot of the prequel film?
It focuses on a young Coriolanus Snow mentoring Lucy Gray Baird, the District 12 tribute, during the 10th Hunger Games competition. Their relationship drives the core story.
Q3. Who are the key cast members?
Tom Blyth plays young Snow, Rachel Zegler portrays Lucy Gray Baird. The supporting cast includes Jason Schwartzman, Viola Davis, and Peter Dinklage.
Q4. Is the movie a direct adaptation of the book?
Yes, the screenplay by Michael Arndt and Michael Lesslie is adapted from Suzanne Collins’ 2020 prequel novel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
Q5. How does the prequel connect to the original Hunger Games trilogy?
As it’s set 64 years earlier, it features a young Snow and explores the early days of the Hunger Games competition and the growing rebellion.
The Hunger Games franchise remains hugely popular and this prequel film is one of the most anticipated releases this year. With its stellar cast, high-production values and loyal fanbase, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes could become one of the biggest films of 2023. We’ll find out when it hits theaters this November.