The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is set to hit theaters this November, and promotion for the film is ramping up. Not too long ago, a trailer for the Hunger Games prequel was released that gave fans a brief glimpse at their return to Panem – but explained very little of the film’s relation to the overall franchise.
Fans can rest assured that this is a prequel, and that Panem has not once again fallen into totalitarianism. The series is now set to take the action back nearly 70 years, to explore the early days of Panem following the Dark Days. The story promises to explore how the Capitol became the over-the-top, media-obsessed culture that was seen in the original series of films.
Who’s the main character?
The protagonist of this Hunger Games tale is none other than a young Coriolanus Snow (here, played by Tom Blyth, previously played by Donald Sutherland), the future President of Panem and primary antagonist of The Hunger Games. The despot is just a teen here, and viewers will see his transformation into the figure that they know and hate today.
Coriolanus goes by “Coryo” here, a sign that he’s much less formal, but also much less powerful during this time. The future President is a member of a high class Capitol family, but they’ve fallen on hard times. Though both his grandfather and father played an important role in the government of Panem and the war efforts during the rebellion, the Snows have essentially lost their fortunes thanks to the war.
As related over the course of the story, the Snow family once owned munitions factories in District 13, the primary source of their wealth. Since the public was told that District 13 was destroyed at the end of the failed rebellion (it actually survived and will later overthrow President Snow during the second rebellion), the Snows have lost all sources of income and have to keep up appearances by careful sleight of hand and subterfuge. Only three members of the family survive: Coriolanus himself, his paternal cousin, Tigris (Hunter Schafer of Euphoria fame), who also lost her parents in the war, and their imperious Grandma’am (Fionnula Flanagan).
To keep up appearances, Coriolanus has sold most of the family’s furniture, and they must ration their food. His primary concern is keeping his family in good standing – but what will it take to keep up the charade? Audiences know that Snow will successfully become President someday, but his journey to that position may be rockier than they expect.
A slightly more enigmatic character, but one which will surely have a big impact on the story (and on the audience), is Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler). Lucy Gray is not the protagonist of the story, which is told from Snow’s point of view, but the story is as much hers as it is his. The character is actually seen a lot in the trailer; one particularly moment occurs as she is seen giving a very theatrical bow to an audience.
Lucy Gray is from District 12 and is its female tribute for the 10th Annual Hunger Games. Much like Zegler, Lucy Gray has a penchant for singing. Being a young girl from District 12, there are bound to be a few comparisons to The Hunger Games, but Lucy Gray is her own character. Determined to survive, yet compassionate and sympathetic to her fellow tributes, Lucy Gray will be pushed to her limit in the Games, as everyone is. Being from District 12, the odds are not in her favor, and that makes her a long shot to win. Death seems to be looming larger here than in The Hunger Games.
What’s the setting like?
Just ten years after a rebellion against the Capitol was quashed, and which resulted in the implementation of the Hunger Games system, Panem is attempting to rebuild. The Capitol is not yet the decadently fashionable city it will be in the future; here, the Capitol is pockmarked by war scars, still partially destroyed from bombings. Hunger is a common occurrence even there, which gives an indication that even starvation is far more common in the Districts, and several Capitol citizens have lost their entire fortune in the war, creating social disharmony.
Needless to say, it’s a tense time. Rebels still wander throughout the country due to close proximity to the rebellion, and the Capitol doesn’t have an iron grip on power just yet. And most people still bear the mental scars of the war, which drove most people to the brink (cannibalism became common as the Capitol was besieged).
The fashion of the Capitol has become an iconic part of the franchise, but the lack of resources means that characters will be dressed in far more muted tones. The trailer reveals that Director Francis Lawrence (no relation to series star Jennifer Lawrence) has opted to go for a mid-to-late fifties retro aesthetic.
The District system as viewers know it is also not yet as strict as it will eventually become. Early on in the book, it’s noted that the Districts used to be able to travel freely amongst themselves, but that’s no longer the case now (presumably to curtail inter-District mingling and rebellious sentiments). There’s a strong implication that, for however terrible life was to cause them to rebel, the Districts were better off before the war as a result of the Capitol’s brutal and relentless punishments (the Capitol’s brutality towards the Districts is as intact as ever, however).
Viewers will also be introduced to the Academy, an institution of secondary education that Coriolanus attends as a Senior. The Academy teaches Capitol students from all of the highest-ranking families, and anyone who’s anyone attends. The goal of all students in the Academy is to get into the prestigious University; Coriolanus easily has the grades, but he’ll need a scholarship to attend thanks to his family’s finances – a fact which could derail every ambition he has. Enter the Hunger Games: this year, the Capitol has decided to give each tribute their own mentor from the Academy’s student body; their mission is to make the Games more entertaining, and if their tribute should win, the victor’s student mentor is given a huge cash prize. That’s the impetus for Coriolanus meeting Lucy Gray.
What’s the difference between these Hunger Games and the Hunger Games in which Katniss participates?
The Hunger Games are not a popular event here, either. In fact, some Capitol citizens find them downright inhumane. The media aspect of the Hunger Games has not been established, and it’s more akin to a gladiatorial fight where, instead of spectacle, the focus is on the brutality. Prolonged deaths, starvation, and exposure to the elements kill most tributes, which even the Capitol finds upsetting to watch – or, at least, upsetting to watch if there’s no spectacle.
Part of the plot involves the Capitol becoming increasingly engrossed in the possibilities of the Games. Author Suzanne Collins is particularly interested in exploring the effects war has on children, and the plot of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is heavily concerned with that theme.
Though it may seem dark, viewers might see some worrying parallels to real life, current situations. The idea of a populace becoming so desensitized that they accept and celebrate children killing each other may seem outlandish, but it has happened before, and Collin’s story is an exploration of how this process progresses.
What Easter eggs can fans expect?
Some eagle-eyed fans might notice some familiar names among the characters. In fact, there’s a number of characters whom fans may connect to their descendants. Don’t worry, though, the book makes sure to play around with expectations: familial connections don’t mean someone is going to be the same as their grandparents, after all. The movie will surely play around with expectations in the same way.
As mentioned earlier, Tigris will play a role in the plot. Tigris was last seen in Mockingjay, Part 2, where she was played by Eugenie Bondurant. In Mockingjay, Tigris was a much older woman, having surgically transformed herself into a literal cat woman. She harbors Katniss and her team, and when Katniss tells her she’s come to kill Snow, Tigris seems pleased. As it turns out, Tigris is Snow’s cousin, and the two of them are surprisingly close. It looks like that didn’t last.
The Capitol is seen in great detail, while the Districts are given less attention in this story. But fans can still expect more information about the Districts, and, if they’re careful and pick up on a few hints, they might spot a certain huntress’s grandmother – and more.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes hits theaters on November 17, 2023. Starring names such as Tom Blyth, Peter Dinklage, Viola Davis, and many more, the film is poised to make a splash at the box office. While it’s certain that some elements of the story will be changed due to various creative restraints, as in all adaptations, it’s also clear that this film has plenty of care and work put into it. Fans should make sure to check it out.