The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023)

Coriolanus Snow mentors and develops feelings for the female District 12 tribute during the 10th Hunger Games.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a prequel to the popular Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. It takes place 64 years before the events of the first book, and follows the story of a young Coriolanus Snow, who would later become the ruthless dictator of Panem that is known to readers of the original trilogy. The book is set during the 10th annual Hunger Games, and explores the early years of the games and their evolution into the brutal spectacle that they become in the original trilogy.

The announcement of the prequel in June 2019 was met with excitement from fans of the series, who had been eagerly awaiting new material from the world of the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games trilogy was originally published between 2008 and 2010, and was adapted into a highly successful film series starring Jennifer Lawrence as the main character, Katniss Everdeen.

Suzanne Collins, the author of the series, has said that she was inspired to write the prequel after thinking about the character of Coriolanus Snow and the world that he came from. She wanted to explore the events and circumstances that shaped him into the villain that he becomes in the original trilogy, and to delve deeper into the history and mythology of the world of Panem.

As of my knowledge cutoff of September 2021, there was still relatively little information available about the plot of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, but it was expected to delve into some darker and more complex themes than the original trilogy. The book was scheduled to be released on May 19, 2020, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was eventually released on May 19, 2020, and has received mixed reviews from critics and fans alike.

Director Francis Lawrence
Writers Michael ArndtSuzanne CollinsMichael Lesslie
Stars Rachel ZeglerHunter SchaferViola Davis