HUNGER GAMES PREQUEL Headed to Big Screen

Audrey Kearns

the ballad of songbirds and snakes, a hunger games panem novel

We’re getting a new Hunger Games movie. We learned last year that Suzanne Collins would be following up her best selling Hunger Games  trilogy with a prequel. In January, we got an excerpt from the new novel set in fictional world of Panem, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes due to be released May 19. The book takes place 64 years before the story of Katniss Everdeen however the big reveal was that the book’s main character is a young President Coriolanus Snow. This was met with much chatter and skepticism on Internet. The older Snow is such an evil, abusive villain and fans weren’t sure if they wanted to read about a young Snow even if he was a good person as a youth. 

Today, THR reported that The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, will be adapted for film. Lionsgate announced the news today. The team behind this project is director Francis Lawrence, screenwriter Michael Arndt and producer Nina Jacobson. This is the same team that was involved in the four films based on the books in the trilogy, The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay. It was also revealed by THR that Collins will write the film’s treatment and Michael Arndt will do the adaptation. 

“Suzanne’s new book has been worth the wait. It offers everything fans could hope for and expect from The Hunger Games while also breaking new ground and introducing an entirely new canvas of characters,” said Joe Drake, chairman of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, in a statement. 

RELATED: Read the First Excerpt of THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES and Meet the Younger Snow

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 Tenth Hunger Games, only to have his elation dashed when he is assigned to mentor the girl tribute from impoverished District 12.

No word on who will be cast as Snow. The elder snow was brilliantly portrayed by Donald Sutherland. The casting search on this character will be very interesting!

Donald Sutherland as President Coriolanus Snow in The Hunger Games
Donald Sutherland as President Coriolanus Snow in The Hunger Games

 

 

 

 

 

Audrey Kearns

Leave a Comment