Eight years afterJennifer Lawrence”s departure from Katniss Everdeen, the universe of the Hunger Games series is being expanded with a 5th installment:The Hunger Games – The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes The new movie tells the prehistory of the cruel games withRachel ZeglerandTom Blythin the leading roles. Here you can find out everything you need to know about the prequel, which is one of the most hotly anticipatedscience fiction films of 2023with constant updates. In our overview you will find information on:
- Start date
- plot
- Pictures, trailer & more videos
- Cast
- Order of all Hunger Games parts
Cinema release: When will the 5th Tribute of Panem movie be released?
The 5th Hunger Games film will be released in German cinemas on November 6, 2023and will therefore come to us earlier than in the USA, where thestart dateis November 17.The spin-off to the popular Tribute of Panem series was announcedeven before theoriginal book was published in May 2020. Despite the thickness of the novel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was not split into two films, which director Francis Lawrencesubsequently regrettedabout Mockingjay.
Plot: What is the Hunger Games prequel about?
The 5th film is based on thebookThe Tributes of Panem X. The Song of Birds and Snakes* (in the original: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes). Like the previous trilogy, the prequel was also written by US author Suzanne Collins. And our reading report shows: Theplot of the novel is perfect for a film adaptation.
The X in the German book title is a Roman numeral that refers to the new plot time: The Hunger Games – The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes depicts the10th Hunger Games, so it takes place 64 years before Katniss Everdeen”s story, the first Hunger Games of which are the 74th edition of the dystopian event.
(The Tributes of Panem – The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes – Coriolanus & Lucy Gray)
Coriolanus Snow, who in Katniss” time will be President (Donald Sutherland) of Panem, is inThe Ballad of Songbirds & Snakesa young man whose once wealthy family has fallen on hard times. An orphan, he lives in modest circumstances with his grandmother and his cousin Tigris. As a mentor to the female tribute from District 12, Lucy Gray Bairdhe hopes for social advancement. But the further the games progress, the more feelings the two develop for each other.
- Opinion:The Tributes of Panem ruins one of the most important characters in just 20 seconds
Poster, pictures & trailer for the Panem prequel The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
Thefirst published imagefor the Hunger Games prequelshowed the main characters Coriolanus and Lucy Gray in quiet harmony in a meadow, thefirst Hunger Games postershowed “their” titular animals, bird and snake, in gilded combat.
The first video for the new Panem film was contributed byWest Side Story star Rachel Zegler as an insightfultour of the setcomplete with stars. The Hunger Games prequel also received an animated title sequence a year and a half before the film”s release:
Thefirst real trailerfor The Tributes of Panem – The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes introduced the new story at the end of April (here you can find it in English)
In the trailer, Hunger Games fans were particularly impressed by the parallel between Lucy Gray”s bow and the curtsy of her predecessor Katniss Everdeen:
Cast of Hunger Games prequel ”The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”
– Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow
– Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird
– Hunter Schafer as Tigris Snow
– Viola Davis as Dr. Volumnia Gaul pic.twitter.com/QCBN2FGBBf– Pop Base (@PopBase) August 15, 2022
Avideo of the Capitol Academyof Panem, meanwhile, introduced the school that turns students into mentors for the 10th Hunger Games, soundinglike an evil Hogwartsin its own mind.
Ongold character postersthe Hunger Games prequel asJennifer Lawrence”s replacement introduced the7 major main characters
Cast & Crew of The Tributes of Panem X: The cast around Rachel Zegler
Not because Jennifer Lawrence considers herself“the worst thing about Hunger Games “but because the movie is set decades earlier, we”re getting a whole new cast. Theactor playing the young future Panem president Snowwas first announced in May 2022, followed shortly after by thenew Jennifer Lawrence of the Hunger Games prequelas the second main character. As things stand, the cast of the new Tribute to Panem film looks like this:
Cast of Hunger Games prequel ”The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”
– Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow
– Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird
– Hunter Schafer as Tigris Snow
– Viola Davis as Dr. Volumnia Gaul pic.twitter.com/QCBN2FGBBf– Pop Base (@PopBase) August 15, 2022
- Tom BlythplaysCoriolanus Snow, a graduating Capitol Academy student who becomes a mentor in the 10th Hunger Games
- Rachel ZeglerplaysLucy Gray Baird, a young musician and District 12 tribute in the 10th Hunger Games, but she is more of an “anti-Katniss”
- Josh Andrés RiveraplaysSejanus Plinth, Snow”s best friend who has doubts about the Hunger Games, he is Marcus” District 2 mentor
- Hunter SchaferplaysTigris Snow, Coriolanus” cousin, who weknow from Mockingjayand who already has a knack for fashion here
- Peter DinklageplaysCasca Highbottom, the involuntary inventor of the Hunger Games anddeanof Coriolanus” school
- Jason SchwartzmanplaysLucretius ”Lucky” Flickermananancestor of Caesar Flickerman, who also hosts the Hunger Games here.
- Viola DavisplaysDr. Volumnia Gaul, who as the main game director of the 10th Hunger Games is working to make the games better (or crueler?)
- Fionnula FlanaganplaysGrandma”am, Coriolanus” grandmother
- Michael GrecoplaysStrabo Plinth, Sejanus” father, a wealthy tycoon
- Daniela GrubertplaysMrs. Plinth, Sejanu”s mother
- Dexter Sol Ansellplays ayoung Coriolanus Snow
Tributes and mentors: the players in the new Hunger Games
- Flora ThiemannplaysLivia Carden, mentor of the District 1 tribute
- Jerome Lanceplays Marcus, tribute from District 2
- Athena StratesplaysPersephone Price, mentor to District 4 tribute Mizzen
- Max RaphaelplaysFestus Creed, mentor to District 4 tribute Coral
- Mackenzie LansingplaysCoral, tributary of District 4
- Cooper DillonplaysMizzen, tribute from District 4
- Amélie HoeferleplaysVipsania Sickle, mentor of District 7 tribute Treech
- Ayomide AdegunplaysPliny ”Pup” Harrington, mentor to District 7 tribute Lamina
- Irene BöhmplaysLamina, tributary of District 7
- Hiroki BerreclothplaysTreech, tribute from District 7
- Sofia SanchezplaysWovey, tribute from District 8
- Knox GibsonplaysBobbin, tribute from District 8
- Lilly Maria CooperplaysArachne Crane, mentor to District 10 tribute Brandy
- Kaitlyn AkinpelumiplaysDomita Whimsiwick, mentor to District 10 tribute Tanner
- Luna KuseplaysBrandy, tribute from District 10
- Kjell BrutscheidtplaysTanner, tribute from District 10
- Ashley LiaoplaysClemensia Dovecote, mentor of District 11 tribute Reaper
- Aamer HusainplaysFelix Ravinstill, mentor to District 11 tribute Dill
- Dimitri AboldplaysReaper, tribute of District 11
- Luna SteeplesplaysDill, tribute from District 11
- Zoe ReneeplaysLysistrata Vickers, mentor for District 12 tribute Jessup
- Nick BensonplaysJessup, District 12 tribute
New Hunger Games actors in District 12
- Burn GormanplaysCommander Hoff, a peacekeeper from District 12
- Marc Aden GrayplaysMayor Lipp, Mayor of District 12
- Isobel Jesper JonesplaysMayfair Lipp, the daughter of the District 12 mayor
- Carl SpencerplaysSmiley, a District 12 peacekeeper
- Scott FolanplaysBeanpole, a District 12 Peacekeeper
- George SomnerplaysSpruce, a rebel from District 12
- Vaughan ReillyplaysMaude Ivory Baird, Lucy Gray”s cousin, a musician in Lucy”s traveling group Covey
- Honor GilliesplaysBarb Azure Baird, Lucy Gray”s cousin, musician in the group Covey
- Dakota ShapiroplaysBilly Taupe, musician of the group Covey
- Konstantin TaffetplaysClerk Carmine, Billy”s brother, musician of the group Covey
- Eike N.A. OnyambuplaysTam Amber, musician of the group Covey
( The Tributes of Panem – The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes)
Behind the camera: The crew behind The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
- The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is directed byFrancis Lawrence, who directed the previous four Hunger Games films.
- The new Hunger Games screenplayis byMichael Arndt(The Hunger Games: Catching Fire) andMichael Lesslie(Macbeth).
- Thescoreis composedbyJames Newton Howard, who wrote the soundtracks for the previous 4 Tribute of Panem films.
- CutterMark Yoshikawaandcostume designerTrish Summervillealso bring previous Hunger Games experience.
There are so many Tribute to Panem parts: The order of the films
Together with the new part, there are5 films in the Hunger Games world, which you can find herein chronological orderhere. We have also provided them with the year of their theatrical release
- The Tribute of Panem – The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes(2023)
- The Hunger Games tribute to Panem(2012)
- The Tributes of Panem – Catching Fire(2013)
- The Tributes of Panem – Mockingjay Part 1(2014)
- The Tributes of Panem – Mockingjay Part 2(2015)
It is not yet known whether The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will also receive a sequel. Suzanne Colling has not yet announced any plans for a book sequel. But a film success of the prequel could of course change that. What”s more, the novel actually offers too much material for just one film.
Since Quentin Tarantino, among othersconsiders the Hunger Games series to be a bad copy that only imitates the teenage bloodbath ofBattle Royalethis debate could also resurface for the cinema release of The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.
