Fans of The Hunger Games learned more about the upcoming prequel film at New York Comic Con 2020. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is an adaptation of Suzanne Collins's novel of the same name. Set in Panem, 64 years before the events of The Hunger Games, the book follows a young President Snow as he mentors a tribute for the 10th annual Hunger Games.
Several elements of the film's production have already been announced. Francis Lawrence, director of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and both Mockingjay films, is returning to direct. Collins will be writing the screenplay alongside Michael Arndt, who wrote the Catching Fire script. Nina Jacobson is also returning as a producer.
Jacobson spoke with David Levithan, publisher of The Hunger Games books, at New York Comic Con 2020 about the film adaptation of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. While it is still in the very early stages of production, Jacobson and Levithan revealed some more information about the film that is sure to excite long-time fans of the series. Here is what fans can expect, and how this movie will differ from Katniss's story.
President Snow Takes The Lead
Katniss Everdeen narrated The Hunger Games, but Collins went a completely different route with The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, choosing to write from President Snow's point of view. In the prequel, Snow is a teenager and one of the first ever mentors for Hunger Games tributes, similar to the role Haymitch Abernathy played for Katniss. While it was a controversial choice to focus on the original series' villain, Levithan said that Collins was interested in the philosophy behind the Games, and how battles of human nature turned Snow into the tyrant that he is in The Hunger Games.
Levithan warned fans that Snow's story is not a fallen angel story of a hero turning evil. "What Suzanne shows is that it's so much more complicated than that," he said. Snow is influenced by a number of outside forces, creating what Levithan called "a tug of war" within him that will be fascinating to see played out onscreen.
Snow will also provide a very new perspective on the world of Panem, since moviegoers have never experienced Panem from a Capitol citizen's point of view. "Seeing a Capitol character with a point of view that takes you through a good part of the story is something we've never really done," said Jacobson. "We've had great Capitol characters, but we've only really ever seen through the eyes of our District protagonists." Snow has yet to be cast, but his new point of view will surely broaden viewers' knowledge of Panem and the city that rules it.
The Games Themselves Will Be Very Different
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes takes place during the 10th Hunger Games, 64 years before Katniss enters the arena. At this point the Games aren't as glitzy as the ones viewers have seen in The Hunger Games movies. "The Hunger Games are considerably less fancy than they ultimately become, so there's a lot of fun in seeing what they used to be," said Jacobson.
Levithan and Jacobson also said that much of the intrigue of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is in seeing how the Games become the spectacle viewers see in the original movies. Fans can expect to learn more about how staples such as tribute mentors and sponsorships came to play such a big part in the Hunger Games. The film will be as much the origin story of the Games and Panem as it is the story of President Snow.
The (New) Girl From District 12
The Hunger Games introduced the world to Katniss Everdeen, the tribute from District 12 who would do anything for her family and who would later became the symbol of a revolution. In The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, President Snow works with another District 12 tribute, a singer named Lucy Gray Baird. Lucy is a completely different character from Katniss, and Jacobson is very excited to introduce her onscreen.
Unlike Katniss, Lucy is a performer. She's trained in performance all her life and understands how to play to an audience. This places her in a fascinating position when it comes to the Games. "If you look at the history of the Hunger Games, Lucy is actually one of the first contestants to understand the element of showmanship," said Levithan. She's starkly different from Katniss, who had to learn the rules of the Games as she went along, and who was focused solely on surviving for her family.
Lucy's performance skills also place her apart from Katniss's directness. With Katniss, viewers always understand what she's thinking or feeling. Lucy is much more mysterious. As Levithan put it, "Lucy is someone who keeps her very bright and colorful poker face on as she's thinking about her next move." Her showmanship combined with Snow's calculations create a fascinating dynamic unlike any fans have seen before in The Hunger Games.
It's Unclear Whether There Will Be More Prequels
Is The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes the beginning of a new franchise? As of now, it's unclear. Levithan said that he does not know whether Collins plans to continue Snow's story in later books and films. "I truly don't know what the next steps are," he said. "It'll be interesting to see what Suzanne does next, whether it's in Panem or out of Panem."
Despite the uncertainty about follow-ups to The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Jacobson is excited to bring this new story from Panem to the screen. President Snow's past relationship to District 12 will add new meaning and improve upon the first four Hunger Games films. "The first movies will be even richer for living in a world with this prequel," she said. Even though the film is in the early stages of development, this panel at New York Comic Con 2020 definitely makes it clear that The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will interest fans of the original Hunger Games movies while still bringing a new story to life.