Article Summary
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is a prequel film that explores the origins of Coriolanus Snow, the main antagonist of the Hunger Games series.
Tickets for the movie are now available for purchase, a fortnight ahead of its theatrical release on November 17. Set in a post-war era, the film delves into the story of Coriolanus Snow who reluctantly mentors tribute Lucy Gray Baird and finds himself making ethical sacrifices to secure his own survival.
A new prequel film, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, is set to captivate audiences, both new and old. This highly anticipated movie delves into the beginnings of the notorious character Coriolanus Snow, who later becomes the primary antagonist in the Hunger Games series. Excitingly, tickets for The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes are already available for purchase, granting eager fans early access to the film before its official release on November 17.
Directed by Francis Lawrence, the same mastermind behind the second, third, and fourth Hunger Games movies, Catching Fire, Mockingjay - Part 1, and Mockingjay Part 2, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes introduces audiences to a young Coriolanus Snow, portrayed by Tom Blyth. This captivating story takes place decades before Snow rises to power as the tyrannical president of Panem, and a staggering 64 years before the iconic Katniss Everdeen volunteers as a "tribute" in the thrilling "Hunger Games," a deadly competition held annually for the entertainment of the privileged and the gain of their respective "Districts."
The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes takes place in a post-war era, where the once-prestigious Snow family has lost its status. Coriolanus, facing the threat of losing his means of living, is assigned the responsibility of mentoring Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), a "tribute" from the impoverished District 12—the same district that Katniss came from. The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes aims to portray the moral compromises that Coriolanus made in order to survive in a merciless world where even the most virtuous individuals could be pushed to their limits. Being someone who already teeters between right and wrong, Coriolanus is compelled to make crucial choices to safeguard his own existence and retain the last remnants of his integrity.
'The Hunger Games' Movies Have Been Critically and Commercially Successful
Image via Lionsgate
The Hunger Games Series | Global Box Office | Rotten Tomatoes Score |
---|---|---|
The Hunger Games (2012) | $694 million | 84% |
Catching Fire (2013) | $865 million | 90% |
Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014) | $755 million | 70% |
Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015) | $653 million | 70% |
Lawrence and his cinematographer Jo Willems specifically filmed the movie with a large-format exhibition in mind. In fact, half of the film is presented in IMAX's exclusive Expanded Aspect Ratio. Fans of the franchise will surely remember the thrilling experience of watching the screen expand in Catching Fire. The first four Hunger Games movies received mostly positive reviews, according to Rotten Tomatoes, with scores ranging from 90% (Catching Fire) to 70% (Mockingjay - Part 1 and Mockingjay - Part 2). These movies were made with a combined reported budget of almost $500 million and went on to gross nearly $3 billion worldwide.
In contrast, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes had a reported production cost of $100 million, making it the second-lowest budget film in the franchise, just above the first film's $78 million. The movie features a talented cast including Peter Dinklage, Hunter Schafer, Josh Andrés Rivera, Jason Schwartzman, and Viola Davis. Get your tickets here and stay tuned to our website for more updates.
Introducing "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes"
Taking place 64 years prior to Katniss Everdeen's courageous act as tribute, and many decades before Coriolanus Snow's rise to power as the oppressive President of Panem. In this thrilling tale, we follow a young Coriolanus (Tom Blyth), the last hope for his once illustrious but now fallen Snow family, who reside in a war-worn Capitol. With his family's legacy hanging by a thread, Snow reluctantly steps into the role of mentor for Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), a tribute hailing from the deprived District 12. However, upon witnessing Lucy Gray's enchanting presence, Snow sees a chance to alter their destinies. Balancing on the knife's edge between good and evil, Snow partners with Lucy Gray, determined to tip the scales in their favor. Racing against time, Snow must fight to survive and unveil whether he will ultimately emerge as a songbird or a snake.
Release Date: November 17, 2023
Director: Francis Lawrence
Cast: Rachel Zegler, Hunter Schafer, Viola Davis, Tom Blyth, Peter Dinklage, Jason Schwartzman, Burn Gorman, Fionnula Flanagan
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 165 minutes
Genres: Sci-Fi, Drama, Thriller
Editor's P/S
As a passionate fan of "The Hunger Games" franchise, I am thrilled to see that tickets for the prequel film, "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes," are now available for purchase. This highly anticipated movie promises to explore the origins of the notorious character Coriolanus Snow, who later becomes the primary antagonist in the Hunger Games series. Set in a post-war era, the film delves into the story of Coriolanus Snow, who reluctantly mentors tribute Lucy Gray Baird and finds himself making ethical sacrifices to secure his own survival.
I am particularly excited to see how the film will portray the moral compromises that Coriolanus Snow made in order to survive in a merciless world where even the most virtuous individuals could be pushed to their limits. Being someone who already teeters between right and wrong, Coriolanus is compelled to make crucial choices to safeguard his own existence and retain the last remnants of his integrity. I believe that this film will provide valuable insight into the character of Coriolanus Snow and help us understand how he became the ruthless leader we see in the original Hunger Games trilogy.