New Hunger Games film

The odds are in our favour! Here is everything we know about the new Hunger Games film

The trailer is GIVING

| UPDATED

Tributes get ready, The Hunger Games is returning! Suzanne Collins’s novel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is being adapted into a movie and is the based on the book of the same title. The movie is set to be released in November 2023, and the trailer has got absolutely everybody talking about how it is going to be the movie of the year.

With an all-star cast and stunning cinematography based on the trailer alone, here is everything we know about the new Hunger Games movie, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes:

What is the new film about?

The movie is based on the book of the same title which was published back in 2020. The book is set 64 years before the beginning of the original trilogy and focuses more on the history of Panem. The story follows a young Coriolanus Snow before his reign as President of Panem.

The synopsis of the book reads: “It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capital, 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmanoeuvre his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.

“The odds are against him. He’s been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined – every choice Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute, and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.”

Was a prequel movie always planned?

After the success of the Hunger Games film trilogy, according to the Hollywood Reporter, studio executives stayed in contact with Suzanne Collins while she was still writing The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The Lionsgate chairman, Joe Drake, said: “As the proud home of the Hunger Games movies, we can hardly wait for Suzanne’s next book to be published. We’ve been communicating with her during the writing process and we look forward to continuing to work closely with her on the movie.”

Who is in the cast?

The new Hunger Games film will star Tom Blyth, who is best known for his role in Billy the Kid and will be playing the role of young Coriolanus Snow. West Side Story star Rachel Zegler has been cast as Lucy Gray Baird, the District 12 tribute who Snow mentors. Euphoria’s Hunter Schafer has recently just been cast as Tigris – Coriolanus Snow’s cousin.

Five additional roles were also cast earlier in 2022. Fuller House star Ashley Liao will be playing the role of Clemensia Dovecote, Jerome Lance as Marcus, Mackenzie Lansing as Coral, Knox Gibson as Bobbin and Aamer Husain as Felix Ravinstill.

Viola Davis and Peter Dinklage are also in the cast. Viola was announced as Volumnia Gaul in August 2022. “From the beginning, Viola has been our dream for Dr. Gaul because of the finely layered intelligence and emotion she brings to every role,” Nina Jacobson said.

When does the movie come out?

It was announced that The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will be released in cinemas on November 17, 2023. During CinemaCon 2022, Lionsgate released a teaser clip which said: “You’re invited to return to the games. In 2023, the world will discover who is a songbird and who is a snake.”

The trailer has just been released!

After months of teasing from the cast and production, the trailer has finally be released and everyone is losing their minds over how great it looks. From the Hunger Games parallels to Rachel Zegler eating everybody up, the trailer has set the path for a great film.

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Featured image credit via Lionsgate.