Exploring the Themes of Cannibalism in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Does the movie delve into the same gruesome cannibalistic elements as the prequel book?

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Released in 2020, the prequel novel unveils the backstory of President Snow and the development of the Games, which is now being adapted into a film set to release in 2023. It explores the origins of the Games and delves into the era known as the "Dark Days," a tumultuous period marked by a civil war between the Districts and the Capitol. These Dark Days are portrayed with intense darkness, showcasing the desperate measures taken by some Capitol citizens, including resorting to cannibalism for survival. However, it raises the question of whether this depiction will be included in the movie.

Do we see cannibalism in the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes movie?

Kind of. Cannibalism is alluded to, but we don’t actually see human flesh get physically eaten.

In the book, Suzanne Collins describes a grim time during the war when the Capitol was plagued by famine and desperation. Even basic food supplies like lima beans were scarce, and the people had not seen any meat for months. Later on, we encounter a scene where a teenage Snow, who is now a mentor for the Games, coincidentally comes across Persephone Price, the daughter of cannibal Nero Price. Snow's perception of Persephone is influenced by witnessing Nero's act of cutting off a dead maid's leg to satisfy his hunger during those dark times, and he struggles to let go of his judgment towards her.

In the opening of the film, there is a parallel scene that resembles this. However, Persephone does not play a role in this particular scene. It features a young Snow and Tigris navigating through the devastated Capitol, desperately searching for food. Suddenly, they come across a man, possibly Nero, who approaches a lifeless body and brutally severs one of its limbs with a cleaver. Puzzled, Snow inquires about the man's actions, to which Tigris subtly implies that they have already deduced the answer. This scene can be glimpsed in the film's trailer, which you can watch below:

During an interview with Dexerto, Francis Lawrence, the director, and Nina Jacobson, the producer, of The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes discussed various aspects of the movie, including the overall violence and even the controversial topic of cannibalism.

Francis Lawrence discusses the challenge of balancing the intensity of scenes in the Hunger Games movies to cater to both the teenage audience and avoid an R-rating. He focuses on the emotional impact of violence rather than explicit blood and gore. The movies often initially receive an R-rating and require adjustments to meet the desired rating.

Nina Jacobson emphasizes the importance of staying true to the brutal nature of the Hunger Games story and its themes without exploiting or glamorizing violence. The goal is to appeal to a broad audience while maintaining the integrity of the narrative. Despite the inevitable PG-13 rating, they are committed to doing what is necessary to achieve the desired rating.

The prequel revolves around the story of 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow, who is the last hope for his fading lineage before he becomes the tyrannical president of Panem. As the 10th annual Hunger Games draw near, Snow is assigned the task of mentoring Lucy Gray Baird from District 12. Together, they combine their cleverness and political skills to race against time in order to uncover the true nature of those around them, distinguishing between the genuine songbirds and the deceitful snakes.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is now in cinemas. Check out our other Hunger Games coverage below:

Editor's P/S

As a passionate fan of The Hunger Games series, I was thrilled to hear about the release of the prequel novel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The book explores the origins of the Games and delves into the era known as the "Dark Days," a tumultuous period marked by a civil war between the Districts and the Capitol. These Dark Days are portrayed with intense darkness, showcasing the desperate measures taken by some Capitol citizens, including resorting to cannibalism for survival. I was intrigued to see how the movie would handle this sensitive subject matter.

The movie does indeed allude to cannibalism, but it does not show it explicitly. In one scene, a young Snow and Tigris navigate through the devastated Capitol, desperately searching for food. They come across a man who approaches a lifeless body and brutally severs one of its limbs with a cleaver. Snow is puzzled by the man's actions, but Tigris subtly implies that they have already deduced the answer. This scene is both disturbing and thought-provoking, as it raises questions about the lengths people will go to in order to survive.