The Hunger Games Prequel: Lionsgate has announced that a new THG film will be made based on the new novel by Suzanne Collins titled The Ballad of Songbirds and Snake. The novel releases on May 19. They have hired Francis Lawrence to helm the upcoming project. He has already directed three films in the franchise.
It’s going to be the fifth movie in the series. The Hunger Games released in 2012, followed by The Hunger Game: Catching Fire in 2013, The Hunger Game: Mockingjay Part 1 in 2014, and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 in 2015. These released on a yearly basis. But, now it has been nearly five years in a row since we saw the last one.
Mockingjay Part II was the final movie in the screen tale of triumph over tyranny. Now, the makers will return to make one more in the beloved cinematic series. The latest book penned by author Collins unfolds various developments that happen 64 years prior to the first book. The news of prequel made rounds in summer 2019.
Another interesting piece of news is that Lionsgate Films, the same studio has announced to give the latest novel the silver screen treatment. So, we have brought you everything that you may want to know about it – release date, plot, cast, trailer, spoilers, and other updates. (check: Pirates of the Caribbean 6 Release Date.)
The Hunger Games Prequel Release Date: When will the movie premiere?
You will probably be surprised to know that more stories under the novel franchise are coming. The books of Collins have always topped the New York Times bestsellers list. Moreover, the films based on her novels have raked in nearly $3 billion worldwide. That’s a humongous amount.
So, it’s pretty clear that The Hunger Games stories have become a money-making machine over the years. Therefore, there comes no second thought to expect a film whenever a new book is about to hit the bookshelves. As told above, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will be adapted into a film. However, we don’t know what’s its release date yet.
You shouldn’t be surprised to know that it’s not an uncommon thing for a book to sell its theatrical rights before it has even hit the bookshelves. We know that Lionsgate is eager to turn The Hunger Game prequel book into a movie, but it is plausible that the studio hasn’t started anything in real as of May 2020. But, Lionsgate chairman Joe Drake did say that they would be surprised if the THG prequel movie hit theatres before 2022.
The Hunger Games prequel movie: Cast and Characters
It’s not known and there is not a fixed when we would get to watch the movie on the big screen. But, that doesn’t stop fans from knowing what’s in the new story written by Collins. Before the release of the book, the publisher Scholastic Publishing let loose a few key points regarding the characters.
The new book features the return of a familiar character from Panem – the president-cum-dictator of the Districts of Panem, Coriolanus Snow. It’s quite surprising as this character is a brutal tyrant and the biggest of the bad in both novels and the cinematic adaptation. But, the biggest surprise that you get to know is that he is actually the hero of the prequel novel.
What it means that he will take the center stage in the latest novel and the upcoming film in the franchise. Obviously Sutherland will be re-cast because no amount of de-aging tech could make him look 64 years younger. For others, we don’t know who will be joining the young Coriolanus Snow in the film. Snow will be an 18-year-old boy.
But, after thoroughly reading the excerpt of the novel, it seems that Dean Highbottom, the madman who first brought the HungerGames to Panem will return in the story somehow.
What’s the plot of The Hunger Games prequel movie?
Honestly, we don’t know about the plot details as they have been tightly kept under the wraps for the obvious reasons. However, we can predict that the new story will showcase the experience of Snow participating in the Hunger Games. We will be seeing Snow in his teens, i.e., long before he turned into a murderous dictator as we know of him.
Moreover, we will get to see various developments in his life that would turn him from a hero to the vilest of villains. Though Snow is the center point in the prequel, Collins seems worried and more focused on the dystopian world that he will one day rule. Humanity has always been under the microscope in the hunger games books and films.
So, it won’t be a surprise for us if Collins decides to pay a visit to those themes in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Whatever the case may be, it would still be interesting to see how the world and humanity were in actual a few decades ahead of Katniss’ rebellion. A new and young actor will likely play his character. Although, Sutherland may appear in flash-forward scenes.
The Hunger Games Prequel Movie Trailer: Is there any promo video?
Unfortunately no, we don’t have any official teaser as of now. It’s because it hasn’t been release officially yet. Any promotional video or first look will only be available months before the actual release. Until then, you can always watch the scenes from the previous films.
The original director returns alongside screenwriter Michael Arndt and producer Nina Jacobson.
