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  4. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

The Hunger Games prequel introduces a very different version of Snow: "You see him break bad"

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By Jamie Graham Contributions from Fay Watson published 8 October 2023

Exclusive: We speak to director Francis Lawrence about The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes

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The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes exclusive image
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The Hunger Games prequel movie The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes promises a very different version of Coriolanus Snow than we've met before.

"We start in a very different place with Snow," director Francis Lawrence tells Total Film magazine in the new issue, which hits newsstands on Thursday, October 12. "We see a young man who’s struggling, and who’s part of a family that’s lost their fortune. He’s putting on an act that he still has money, still has status. He also starts in a much more positive place than you would imagine. It’s part of what’s fun about the story, that you see him break bad."

The new prequel takes place 64 years before The Hunger Games as we meet an 18-year-old Snow (Tom Blyth) as he’s assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler) for the 10th annual Hunger Games. 

The future tyrannical president is initially alarmed, given that Lucy is a tribute from impoverished District 12. But when she defiantly sings during the reaping ceremony, he spies an opportunity to turn the odds in their favour – her by surviving the deadly combat, and him by growing the Games from their grubby gladiatorial roots into a show-stopping event full of theatre and spectacle.

You can see an exclusive image from the new movie above, featuring Zegler as Lucy.

  • Preorder the Ridley Scott issue of Total Film now

The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes opens in cinemas on November 17. For much more on the film, check out the new issue of Total Film when it hits shelves and digital newsstands on Thursday, October 12. Check out the covers below:

Total Film's Ridley Scott covers

(Image credit: Scott Council/Total Film)

Pre-order the issue here to bag your copy, or click here to subscribe to Total Film and never miss another exclusive. With our latest offer, you can get a JOBY Magnetic Wireless Charger worth £29.95 when you take out a print/bundle subscription. You'll also get exclusive subscriber-only covers (like the one on the right, above).

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Total Film

(Image credit: Future)
Jamie Graham
Jamie Graham
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Freelance Writer

Jamie Graham is a freelance writer and former Editor-at-Large of Total Film magazine. You'll likely find them around these parts reviewing the biggest films on the planet and speaking to some of the biggest stars in the business – that's just what Jamie does. Jamie has also written for outlets like SFX and the Sunday Times Culture, and appeared on podcasts exploring the wondrous worlds of occult and horror.

With contributions from
  • Fay WatsonDeputy Entertainment Editor
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