Josh Hutcherson's Role in The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
Discover if Josh Hutcherson reprises his role as Peeta Mellark in the highly anticipated Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes Explore insights from the director as they delve into Tom Blyth's portrayal of Coriolanus Snow
The new Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, has finally arrived, taking audiences back to a time before Katniss Everdeen's adventures. Instead, it explores the origin story of the original movies' antagonist, Coriolanus Snow. This raises the question: Will we see Katniss or her counterpart, Peeta Mellark, portrayed by Josh Hutcherson?
This question has been on the minds of many Hunger Games fans since Lionsgate announced The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes in 2019. Director Francis Lawrence even admitted in a recent interview that the dedicated fanbase's attachment to Katniss and her inner circle caused him some anxiety regarding the project.
Lawrence later admitted that he had reservations about the length of Suzanne Collins' original novel, "Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes", and contemplated dividing the adaptation into two separate movies. However, after reflecting on the decision to split Collins' third Hunger Games book, "Mockingjay", he opted against it. But did Lawrence manage to include a short appearance by Josh Hutcherson in his single film adaptation of "The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes"? Keep reading to discover the answer!
Is Josh Hutcherson in Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes?
No, Josh Hutcherson is not in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.
It is not surprising that the prequel is set more than 60 years before the events of the rest of the franchise, long before Peeta's birth. However, it is worth noting that Hutcherson does not reprise the role of Peeta in a framing sequence before or after the main narrative of The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. Additionally, the film does not make any direct references to Peeta or Jennifer Lawrence's character, Katniss, who is also absent.
Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes director discusses Tom Blyth’s Coriolanus Snow
None of the original cast members from the first four Hunger Games movies, including Donald Sutherland who played President Snow, are returning in The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. Sutherland, an 88-year-old Hollywood icon, was deemed too old to portray Snow's younger self. As a result, Tom Blyth from Benediction was chosen to replace him.
During an interview with Dexerto, Lawrence discussed Blyth's role in the performance and explained that he advised the actor not to imitate Sutherland. "I instructed him not to imitate Sutherland's voice or mannerisms," Lawrence stated.
He further explained, "Given that we are portraying Snow at a young and formative stage, I wanted Tom to make the performance his own. However, due to Snow's unformed nature, Tom and I engaged in conversations about different topics and embarked on a distinct journey."
The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is in cinemas now. Check out Dexerto’s other Hunger Games coverage below:
Editor's P/S
As a Gen Z netizen, I have mixed feelings about Josh Hutcherson not reprising his role as Peeta Mellark in the Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. On the one hand, I understand that the prequel is set more than 60 years before the events of the rest of the franchise, long before Peeta's birth. On the other hand, I feel like it would have been a nice nod to the original fans of the series to have Hutcherson make a cameo appearance, even if it was just a small one.
I think it's great that the director, Francis Lawrence, is taking a fresh approach to the character of Coriolanus Snow and is encouraging Tom Blyth to make the role his own. I'm excited to see what Blyth brings to the table and how he interprets the character. Overall, I'm cautiously optimistic about The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes and am looking forward to seeing it when it comes out.
