The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes

In the years before he rises to Panem's presidency, Coriolanus Snow is a young student trying to salvage his family name and secure a place among the Capitol elite. When he is assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird, the magnetic tribute from District 12, he senses an opportunity to change his fortunes. Their partnership draws scrutiny from powerful figures, forcing Coriolanus to weigh ambition against loyalty as the Hunger Games machine chews through lives and reputations. He steers Lucy Gray through public performances and calculated choices, and the film traces how spectacle and strategy begin to shape the man he will become. Set against the Capitol's polished cruelty, the film tracks how performance and private choices interact, offering clues to the origins of Snow's rule.

Released in 2023, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes was directed by Francis Lawrence, adapted from Suzanne Collins' prequel novel, with screenplays credited to Michael Lesslie and Michael Arndt, and notably stars Tom Blyth and Rachel Zegler.

The film opened worldwide in 2023, leveraging franchise recognition to draw sizeable opening crowds and steady attendance, and studio statements described its commercial performance as solid across key markets. It remained a reliable box office earner for international distribution partners.

Audiences and critics offered mixed to favorable responses, reflected in a user vote average of 6.994 out of 10 from 3316 votes, praising performances and worldbuilding while noting uneven pacing and tonal shifts. The film focuses on ambition, spectacle, class disparity, and the moral compromises that feed power in Panem.

As a prequel, the movie reignited discussion about the franchise's origins and about how charisma and propaganda shape political figures, while Lucy Gray's music and aesthetic became a talking point among fans. Casting choices, including Peter Dinklage and Hunter Schafer, sparked conversation about tone and interpretation of Collins' source material.