Sophia Michaels
The Hunger Games was a wildly popular franchise, thanks to the acclaimed novels and four-movie film franchise starring Jennifer Lawrence. While we’ve spent some time away from that sci-fi world, fans will get to return to Panem with the prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. And actor Tom Blyth recently defended Snow getting a prequel before the heroes of the franchise. Let’s break it all down.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes cast is led by Tom Blyth, who is playing a young Coriolanus Snow. Some fans have taken umbrage with the Young Snow story, given just how dastardly he was throughout the original franchise. But Blyth spoke to EW about this discourse, saying:
I’ve heard a lot of people saying, ‘Why should we tell this man’s story?’ And I’m like, ‘Okay, first off, he’s not real. The beauty of fictional characters is you get to look at parts of humanity that are difficult to understand. You’re able to empathize.
Points were made. Trying to empathize with a real-life monster is one thing, but Snow is a fictional character. And as such, moviegoers can watch and learn how he turned into the murderous President of Panem. And his motivations throughout the Hunger Games franchise might become more clear as a result. Smart money says plenty of people will be re-watching the first movie this weekend, which is available to stream with a Peacock subscription.
Since The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was announced, fans have been wondering if Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss will be included, or perhaps we’ll see a member of Katniss’ family on the big screen. But in the end story is about Snow, as well as Rachel Zegler’s District 12 tribute Lucy Gray Baird. Later in his same interview, Tom Blyth spoke about the transformation we’ll see from his character, offering:
I’d lived in his body for quite a while, and he [goes] through so many different, subtle transformations. To be with him in that moment of breaking down — that rage bubbling up inside him, which is then going to inform the rest of his life — I felt heartbroken for him. I wanted him to choose the righteous path.
Since The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is set decades before the event of the main Hunger Games franchise, it should be fascinating to see how the tenth annual games may have influenced future games. And if the movie does well at the box office, perhaps we’ll be treated with more prequels from this dystopian universe.
Early criticism for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes has been positive, and it sounds like the franchise as a whole might be getting a major reboot. So if the box office lives up the hype, hopefully we get way more Hunger Games projects in the future. Fingers crossed.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is in theaters now. Be sure to check out the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
