The Length of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

The prequel movie for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes brings us back to the world of the Hunger Games, but for how much longer will it keep us there?

During the early 2010s, the young adult dystopian genre made a huge impact on the world of books and movies. One of the most significant and successful works during this time was The Hunger Games, which is set in an authoritarian USA now known as Panem, where children are compelled to fight to the death in an arena controlled by the Capitol.

In 2020, the franchise expanded with the release of a prequel novel by author Suzanne Collins. Titled The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, the book delves into the early life of the original books' villain, President Snow. Now, the novel is set to be adapted into a movie. With the movie release imminent, it begs the question: how long will the movie be considering the length of the book?

How long is The Ballad of the Songbirds & Snakes movie?

The Hunger Games prequel movie is around 2 hours and 38 minutes long. With the film pushing three hours, it’s best to take a bathroom break before heading into the cinema!

Despite its lengthy runtime, audiences are still raving about the movie's performance. It's not surprising that the movie is one of the longest, considering that it's based on the longest book, with over 150,000 words. The closest in length is Catching Fire, at just over 100,000 words.

Due to its length, Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was initially considered to be split into two movies, similar to Mockingjay. However, director Francis Lawrence ultimately abandoned this idea after expressing regret over the previous split. In an interview with Dexerto, Lawrence explained how he managed to condense the lengthy book into one movie, acknowledging the need to prioritize certain elements of the story due to its length. "When you're passionate about a story, you want to include as much as possible," he said. "But with the longest book in the series, we knew there would be some trimming involved, and we had to make tough decisions about what to prioritize."

Watch the upcoming movie's plot unfold as 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow, the future tyrannical president of Panem, faces his last chance to save his fading lineage. With the 10th annual Hunger Games approaching, he is tasked with mentoring Lucy Gray Baird from District 12. Together, they must use their showmanship and political skills to uncover who can be trusted and who cannot. Watch the trailer below and may the odds be ever in your favor.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes premieres in cinemas November 17, 2023. Check out our other Hunger Games coverage below:

Editor's P/S

As a hard fan of The Hunger Games series, I am thrilled about the upcoming prequel movie, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The movie's length, at around 2 hours and 38 minutes, is perfect for a film based on the longest book in the series. The book is over 150,000 words long, so it makes sense that the movie would be longer than the previous installments. I appreciate that director Francis Lawrence chose to condense the book into one movie rather than splitting it into two, as was initially considered. This will allow for a more cohesive and streamlined story.

I am confident that the movie will be a hit with fans of the series. The trailer looks amazing, and the cast is excellent. I can't wait to see the movie when it premieres in November 2023. In addition to the film's length, I am also excited about the exploration of President Snow's character. In the original trilogy, Snow is a ruthless and tyrannical villain. However, the prequel movie will give us a chance to see him as a young man, before he became the monster we know him as. I am eager to learn more about his backstory and what led him to become the person he is.