The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and SnakesstarRachel Zeglerhas offered a glimpse behind the scenes of theHunger Gamesprequel. Coming courtesy of the official Instagram account forThe Hunger Games Series, Zegler takes us on a tour of the production currently underway onThe Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,which will serve as a prequel to the hugely successfulHunger Gamesfranchise. Check out the footage below.
“I volunteer as tribute,” Zegler says in a caption alongside the delightful tour of set. “here’s a first look on set of #TheHungerGames The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.” While the footage does not give away too much, it does confirm thatThe Ballad of Songbirds and Snakeswill make the same effort to create the sprawling grand, dystopian society at the center ofThe Hunger Gamestale. Revealing lots of practical sets, extravagant costumes, and a large cast,the footage also offers another look at Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow.
A prequel to the popularHunger Gamesfranchise and based on the book by author Suzanne Collins,The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakeswill focus on an 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow,the man who will become the tyrannical President of Panem, played in the movie series by Donald Sutherland. Far from the evil overlord audiences are familiar with, Coriolanus was once a member of one of the richest families in the Capitol but is now an orphan living in destitution with his grandmother and cousin.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakesfinds Coriolanus being given an opportunity to change his fortune when he is chosen to mentor Lucy Gray Baird, the girl tribute from the impoverished District 12. Determined to make an impression, as his success in the games will likely guarantee the monetary prize he needs to attend the University, Coriolanus will do anything to emerge victorious.
Related:The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Trailer Teases the Hunger Games Prequel
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakeswill boast a large ensemble cast led by Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow and Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird. The prequel will feature an assortment of talent alongside the pair,withThe Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’supporting cast featuring Viola Davis, Peter Dinklage, Jason Schwartzman, Hunter Schafer, Burn Gorman, Fionnula Flanagan, and Josh Andrés Rivera.
The rest of the cast includes the likes of Isobel Jesper Jones, Dakota Shapiro, Vaughan Reilly, George Somner, Carl Spencer, Scott Folan, Honor Gillies, Eike Onyambu, Konstantin Taffet, Michael Greco, and Daniela Grubert.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakesis set to be directed by Francis Lawrence, who helmed the majority ofThe Hunger Gamesfranchise, working from a screenplay by Michael Arndt. “Like everybody, I first saw Rachel Zegler in ‘West Side Story,’ and like everybody, I knew I was watching a star who would command the screen for a generation,” Lawrence said of Zegler’s casting. “Lucy Gray is a perfect match for her as an actress: the character is bold, independent, and defiant, but also vulnerable, emotional, and loving. Rachel will make this character unforgettable.”
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakesis scheduled for release in the United States on July 14, 2025.
