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Following the prolonged actors' strike, Rachel Zegler breaks her silence on The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes, reigniting anticipation for the forthcoming movie.
Zegler extends her appreciation to Lionsgate and SAG-AFTRA for their agreement, enabling the cast's involvement in press and promotional activities. She pledges to provide further insights into the filming process and commends her positive experience on set.
Featuring renowned actors like Peter Dinklage and Viola Davis, the film's promotional campaign plays a vital role in ensuring its success at the box office. Nevertheless, there are concerns that the strike has already had an adverse effect on the highly anticipated Hunger Games revival.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes may finally receive the promotion it desperately needs as Rachel Zegler can now openly discuss the project without violating the actors' strike terms.
Taking place over six decades prior to the mainline films, Lionsgate's The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes delves into the story of a young Coriolanus Snow. Determined to restore his family's prestige, Snow becomes intertwined with the fate of Lucy Gray Baird, a rebellious tribute from the unremarkable 12th district. As Snow mentors her through the tenth edition of the infamous Hunger Games, fans are left in the dark about the plot due to the lack of promotion caused by the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike and the fact that the source material was written in 2020, long after the initial surge of the series' popularity.
The strike, initiated by the Screen Actors Guild and affecting the video game industry, remains unresolved. However, there has been a breakthrough with an interim agreement between the union and Lionsgate studio. This agreement has granted the cast of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, led by actress Zegler, the opportunity to discuss the film. Zegler took to Instagram to share a poster for the movie with her followers. In her caption, she expresses gratitude to Lionsgate and SAG-AFTRA for their efforts in reaching this agreement, allowing them to engage in press and promotion for the film. She also acknowledges Lionsgate's commitment to fairness for films and the hardworking individuals involved in their creation.
Zegler expressed her enthusiasm for her time on set and assured fans that there are still more exciting things to come. "The experience of making this movie has been absolutely incredible. I can't wait to share more behind-the-scenes content with all of you, the amazing fans, who truly enhance moments like these by eight million times. You can expect to see more of my incredible castmates and my deep appreciation for our talented crew. So stay tuned! There's a lot more in store." This upcoming promotion, featuring Zegler and others, is much-needed to generate buzz for the film's release, especially since the Hunger Games prequel is projected to have a relatively low opening.
Zegler, along with Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage, has joined the Hunger Games prequel, along with other talented actors Tom Blyth, Hunter Schafer, Jason Schwartzman, Josh Andrés Rivera, and Viola Davis. The inclusion of these big names in the film is expected to generate significant attention and potentially impact its box office success. Lionsgate likely took this into consideration when agreeing to enter the interim agreement. While there have been similar agreements during the strike, Lionsgate and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes are the most notable example, and the one closest to release.
Despite the possibility of a better outcome for the film now that its promotional campaign can begin in earnest, some believe it's too late and argue that the SAG-AFTRA strike has already damaged the anticipated Hunger Games revival that seemed to be starting when the film was initially announced. The ultimate fate of the prequel film and its implications for the franchise's future are still unknown.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is currently set for theatrical release on November 17, 2023
Source: Rachel Zegler/Instagram
Editor's P/S
As a Gen Z netizen, I am thrilled to hear about the potential progress of The Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The Hunger Games series holds a special place in my heart, and I have been eagerly anticipating this prequel since it was first announced. The fact that Rachel Zegler, an incredibly talented actress, is set to play the lead role of Lucy Gray Baird only adds to my excitement.
Zegler's recent Instagram post expressing her gratitude for the interim agreement between SAG-AFTRA and Lionsgate gives me hope that the film will finally receive the promotion it deserves. The strike has undoubtedly had a negative impact on the film's marketing campaign, but this agreement allows the cast and crew to engage in press and promotional activities, which will undoubtedly generate much-needed buzz. I am particularly excited to see behind-the-scenes content and learn more about the making of the film from Zegler and her castmates.