The Hunger Games - The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: First Image Shows New Character

"The Hunger Games - The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" has been in full production for almost a year, and now a first picture is available. It shows the two main actors Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray and Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow. While Gray is new to the franchise, Snow is already known from the previous parts as the dictatorial president of Panem. In the upcoming prequel, however, he will be seen in his younger years, where he is still working as a supervisor behind the scenes of the Hunger Games. 

Director Francis Lawrence, who directed the previous three movies, recently spoke to Vanity Fair about the new character Gray, describing her as the anti-Katniss. According to him, she is musically gifted, charming, a performer and does not have much in common with the serious and reserved main character of the original film series. As a result, she arouses the interest of the young Coriolanus Snow and they eventually fall in love. For Snow, who comes from humble beginnings, the games are extremely important. Lucy's mentor sees the games as his big chance to climb the social ladder and leave his old life behind. 

Recent information also concerns another new addition to the feature film, namely that Viola Davis is to be added as the villain Dr. Volumnia Gaul. The character is the Head Gamemaker of the tenth Hunger Games and is said to be a very vicious figure. She is very energetic and has an almost disturbing playful manner that does not really fit her actions. She is also said to be in some ways a role model for the later President Coriolanus Snow. 

"The Hunger Games - The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" is scheduled for release on November 17, 2023, and is based on the book of the same name by Suzanne Collins, who published the novel in May 2020.