Is The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes a prequel? Explained

The eagerly anticipated prequel, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, to the globally renowned teen dystopian series, The Hunger Games, released on November 17, 2023. The film is an adaptation of the novel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which hit the shelves in May 2020.

The author of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Suzanne Collins, goes deep into the early life of the series' infamous antagonist, President Coriolanus Snow. Collins unravels the events surrounding the 10th Annual Hunger Games, where he serves as a student mentor.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is expected to explore the post-Civil War era in Panem and then shed light on how songbirds and snakes lead to the making of a wicked monster and the construction of a somewhat dystopian regime through the lens of Snow.

Disclaimer: The article contains potential spoilers for the movie and the novel series. Reader's discretion is advised.

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Setting and background of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes

The movie is set when the Capitol was in shambles and ruins after the Civil War ten years ago. The film follows a failed rebellion against the Capitol, resulting in leaders and academics coming together to devise a nasty punishment for the rebellious Districts, which resulted in the execution of the early Hunger Games.

The Snow family was once very prestigious and prosperous but is in a state of poverty presently, which is when there is a glimmer of hope through a young Coriolanus Snow, who could add an aspect of stability to the family by excelling in life academically. With his parents lost in the war, Snow, his grandmother, and cousin Tigress struggle to survive in a rebuilding city.

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The protagonist of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Snow was enrolled in the Capitol Academy. Despite all odds, he continues to grow and excel at the academic part of his life. In the course, he is assigned a mentor, Lucy Gray Baird, the female tribute from the poverty-stricken District 12 in the 10th Hunger Games. Lucy Gray is also a folk singer, and her presence in the film added a beautiful musical dimension to a plot going on a dead serious path.

Snow's journey takes a significant turn when he proposes a betting and sponsorship program to the Head Game Maker, Volumnia Gaul. This is initially met with skepticism but eventually becomes crucial in the modern Hunger Games.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes introduces genetically modified snakes that are pivotal in shaping the tributes' fate and the Games' trajectory.

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The outcome of the Hunger Games

Lucy Gray emerges as the victor of the Hunger Games, but the aftermath sees Snow's fall from grace. As the prequel unfolds, readers witness the transformation of Coriolanus Snow from a young, ambitious student to the architect of the Hunger Games.

The complex dynamics between Snow and Lucy Gray, along with the political and social upheavals in Panem, provide a rich backdrop for this exploration of the origins of The Hunger Games. With the film adaptation releasing on November 17, 2023, fans can anticipate a cinematic journey that closely mirrors the intricacies of Collins' original novel.