The Hunger Games prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is scheduled for a November 17, 2023 release.
Los Angels (USA)- The French Dispatch actor Jason Schwartzman is set to star in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, the prequel movie to The Hunger Games. The upcoming film is the latest project in the dystopian young-adult franchise based on Suzanne Collins’ novels.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes follows a young Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth), years before he would become the tyrannical President of the fictional nation Panem, as he is chosen to be the mentor of the 10th Hunger Games, a televised event in which teenagers are chosen via lottery to fight to the death.
According to Deadline, Schwartzman will play Lucretius ‘Lucky’ Flickerman, the host of the competition and ancestor to Caesar Flickerman, who would become the voice of Panem.
Hollywood veteran Donald Sutherland played the adult Snow in The Hunger Games, the original movie franchise, which followed the adventures of Katniss Everdeen, played by Jennifer Lawrence.
Francis Lawrence, who helmed three of the four The Hunger Games films, is returning to direct the upcoming Lionsgate production.
Michael Lesslie has penned the most recent draft of the screenplay, with initial inputs from author Collins and Catching Fire writer Michael Arndt.
Previously announced cast members of the film also include Rachel Zegler, Hunter Schafer, Josh Andres Rivera, Jerome Lance, Ashley Liao, Aamer Husain, and Hiroki Berrecloth.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is scheduled for a November 17, 2023 release.
Francis Lawrence, who directed three of the four Hunger Games movies — Catching Fire, Mockingjay: Part One and Mockingjay: Part Two — is back in the helmer’s seat with franchise producer Nina Jacobson and her partner Brad Simpson back as producers. Lawrence is also producing. Collins, Tim Palen and Jim Miller exec produce. Michael Lesslie wrote the latest draft of the screenplay.
The prequel’s logline from Lionsgate reads: “Years before he would become the tyrannical President of Panem, 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow is the last hope for his fading lineage, a once-proud family that has fallen from grace in a post-war Capitol. With the 10th annual Hunger Games fast approaching, the young Snow is alarmed when he is assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird, the girl tribute from impoverished District 12. But, after Lucy Gray commands all of Panem’s attention by defiantly singing during the reaping ceremony, Snow thinks he might be able to turn the odds in their favor. Uniting their instincts for showmanship and newfound political savvy, Snow and Lucy’s race against time to survive will ultimately reveal who is a songbird and a snake.”
Schwartzman, repped by UTA, Ocean Avenue Entertainment and Sloane Offer, was recently seen in Tribeca selection There There and has a recurring role on HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones. Upcoming credits include Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City, where he will appear opposite Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Liev Schreiber, Tom Hanks and Margot Robbie, among many others, and an untitled original film from filmmaker Jessica Yu starring Awkwafina and Sandra Oh for Hulu.