With the upcoming release of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, fans have been wondering if other characters like Finnick or Haymitch might get their own sequel films. Director Francis Lawrence reveals that he won’t do any prequels that Suzanne Collins doesn’t helm.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is the story of Lucy Gray Baird during the 10th annual Hunger Games. Though, perhaps more importantly, it seems to be an origin story for President Snow. This opened a brand new world of possibilities for the franchise to explore other past Hunger Games winners like Haymitch or Finnick. Despite this, director Francis Lawrence refuses to make a film that isn’t the brainchild of original writer Suzanne Collins.
“If Suzanne has another thematic idea that she feels fits into the world of Panem — whether that’s with new people [or] familiar characters [like] Finnick, Haymitch, whoever — I’d be really interested in looking at it and being a part of it,” He told Variety. “But I don’t have any pull of just going, ‘I would love to do Finnick’s games.’ He’s a great character, but what’s the thematic underpinnings that make it worth telling and relevant?”
“If she has something to say, I want to hear it. I’m fascinated by her perspective. I will always want to follow her lead.”
Francis Lawrence’s refusal to do a prequel without Suzanne Collins’ involvement is certainly noble. Unlike other young adult fiction pieces (like Harry Potter), The Hunger Games is filled with political turmoil and lessons on propaganda. It’d be incredibly easy to dilute the meaning of the original works with derivative prequels. Let’s just hope The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes avoids that fate.
The talent behind the new Hunger Games movie
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is being directed by Francis Lawrence, who helmed the final three films in the original series. Michael Arndt, who won an Academy Award for his screenplay for Little Miss Sunshine, has penned the script alongside Assassin’s Creed scribe Michael Lesslie. In addition to Tom Blyth, the film also features Rachel Zegler, Hunter Schafer, Jason Schwartzman, Peter Dinklage, Viola Davis, Burn Gorman, Fionnula Flanagan and Josh Andres Rivera, among many others.
The Hunger Games centered on Katniss Everdeen’s rising popularity on a televised battle royale death match and her subsequent leadership role in the uprising against a fascist government. Lionsgate released four films based on the novels, starring Academy Award winner Jennifer Lawrence as Everdeen opposite Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, and Elizabeth Banks. The film series collectively grossed nearly $3 billion at the worldwide box office.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is scheduled for release on November 17, 2023. Stay tuned for the latest news regarding the prequel and make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more content!
