Hunger Games, what we know so far about the prequel

Only a few months have passed since the announcement of the arrival of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakesthe prequel film of Hunger Games which immediately aroused the curiosity of fans. The film, which is inspired by the book of the same name by Suzanne Collinswill tell the origins of the popular dystopian trilogy: the story is set, in fact, decades before the adventures of Katniss Everdeen (the heroine played on screen by Jennifer Lawrence) and will focus on the youth of Coriolanus Snow, destined to become the tyrannical president of Panem. In the last few hours the very first photo taken from the film, which portrays the protagonists of this new adventure.

To give the face to the young Snow is Tom Blythformer protagonist of the series Billy the Kidwhile tenderly resting on her lap we see Rachel Zeglerthe breakthrough actress in Steven Spielberg’s film West Side Story and future Snow White from Disney’s live-action. She will be the one to step into the role of Lucy Gray Baird, a young girl chosen as a tribute to the central government by the very poor District 12 and who will be entrusted to the mentor Coriolanus. Despite the natural understanding that will arise between the two (“It’s a love story set in a different world, in a different era“, says the director Francis Lawrence exclusively to Vanity Fair), their relationship will be severely tested by her need for survival and by thirst for power of him. Even if the moment of complicity immortalized in this photo is in all probability destined to last a short time, the image and in particular the costumes also tell us that we must expect an aesthetic and a setting. less visionary and futuristic compared to those seen in the first films.

Although the plot of the book is known, there are still many aspects of the film that may surprise viewers. Meanwhile, the cast of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes sees the addition of excellent names from week to week: the latest new entry is the Oscar winner Viola Daviswho in the past few hours has been announced in the role of Volumnia Gaul, the woman in charge of the strategists of the 10th edition of the Hunger Games. Her arrival shortly follows that of Peter Dinklagebest known for his role as Tyrion Lannister in Games of Throneswho will play Highbottom helmet, the unwitting creator of the games themselves. Among the other interpreters there are Hunter Schaferwhich became famous in EuphoriaAnd Jason Schwartzmanseen in Marie Antoinette, Grand Budapest Hotel And Mozart in the Jungle. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is expected to be released in theaters in November 2023.