Given the fact that The Hunger Games franchise has made billions of dollars worldwide, it was only a matter of time before the franchise came back to the screen. It's been nearly two years since The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was released in bookstores, now the movie adaptation has found it's two leads.
We found out several weeks ago that Tom Blyth, who we recently chatted with about his leading role in the EPIX series Billy The Kid, would be playing a young Coriolanus Snow. Blyth will play an 18 year old Snow, who is the last hope for the linage of his family. The war is over, and his family has fallen from grace. Now, he has been assigned as a mentor for the 10th annual Hunger Games.
The tribute in question is Lucy Gray Baird, who will be played by Rachel Zegler. She recently rose to fame in Steven Spielberg's West Side Story. Now she will take on the role of the female tribute from District 12. After Baird sings at the reaping ceremony, Snow believes he can turn the odds in her favor. So they combine their efforts of showmanship and political savvy in a "race against time." Soon it will be time to find out, "who is a songbird, and who is a snake."
The announcement of Zegler to the cast was made by Nathan Kahane, president, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group. He said, "When you read Suzanne’s book, Lucy Gray’s emotional intelligence, physical agility, and fiercely powerful, determined singing voice shine through. Rachel embodies all of those skills – she is the perfect choice for our Lucy Gray."
Francis Lawrence, who directed the last four movies in The Hunger Games series, returns to direct this prequel. The screenplay is being written by Michael Lesslie, which will build on work already done by series author Suzanne Collins and Michael Arndt. Studio oversight will be done by Meredith Wieck and Scott O’Brien.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds And Snakes will be released in theaters on November 17, 2023 from Lionsgate. There will be many more updates to come. Filming has yet to begin, and no official start date has been announced. Keep checking back for more.
Photo Credit (L-R): Scholastic/Nathan Johnson