Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games series captivated countless readers from 2008—2010 when the dystopian series hit bookshelves. Then, the whole nation was re-captivated when the series was made into one of the top grossing film series of all time. The Hunger Games takes place in the fictional world of Panem, a North American country consisting of 12 districts and a Capitol. Every year, two children from each district are chosen at random to participate in the Hunger Games, a game show in which they must fight to the death until only one victor remains. The games are a means for the Capitol to assert its dominance over the districts and to prevent them from ever rebelling again.
However, when 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen volunteers to participate in the Hunger Games in place of her little sister, she embarks on a journey of love, survival, fate, and rebellion that will change Panem forever. The book series concluded with the final novel in the trilogy, Mockingjay, in 2010. Then, ten years later, Collins continued The Hunger Games franchise with her release of a prequel novel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes—which was released in 2020. The prequel follows a young Corionalus Snow, many years before he was the notorious President Snow of The Hunger Games.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes received mixed reviews upon its debut. However, its reception has grown more positive as the book has aged. Granted, there are many characters whom readers may have preferred to read the early history of over Snow. Choosing Snow, though, creates a truly thrilling tale of how a villain was made moment by moment. Meanwhile, the parallels and references to The Hunger Games are numerous. The Hunger Games prequel is also set to hit the big screen soon.
What is the release date for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes?
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was first confirmed to be in development back in 2020. During CinemaCon 2022, it was revealed that the film will premiere on November 17, 2023. Its release date follows in the footsteps of the last three Hunger Games films, all of which had mid-November releases. For now, details about the film are still pretty scarce. However, it has been confirmed that Francis Lawrence will be returning as director. Nina Jacobson will also return as a producer and will be joined by co-producer Brad Simpson.
The script is set to be written by Michael Arndt and will be an adaption of Collins’ novel. So far, there has been no news on casting. With the film projected to release in November of next year, though, filming should begin shortly. Further updates and information on this Hunger Games prequel film to come!
(featured image: Lionsgate)
