The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes BOOK vs MOVIE: The Death Order

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes death order BOOK version. Click for FULL SIZEThe Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes death order MOVIE versionLike the previous Hunger Games films, the movie adaptation of Ballad stays faithful to the source material, right down to many of the iconic quotes from the book. But at 500 + pages, things had to be changed to fit the film's 2-hour and 38-minute runtime. (We're still holding out for that 4-hour cut! 🙏)

Coriolaus and Lucy Gray Baird in the arena

One significant change between the book and movie is the structure of The Hunger Games themselves, which affected the tributes' deaths. The deaths of Marcus (Jerome Lance), Bobbin (Knox Gibson), Coral (Mackenzie Lansing), and Jessup (Nick Benson) stay pretty consistent between the two mediums, though in slightly different order. Others like Reaper (Dimitri Abold), Dill (Luna Steeples), Wovey (Sofia Sanchez), and Treech (Hiroki Berrecloth), and Mizzen (Cooper Dillon) meet different fates in the movie compared to their book counterparts.

Lamina and Treech in the zoo

Coral and Reaper in the zoo

In the novel, mentor Gaius Breen is hospitalized after losing both legs in the arena bombing. He survives for twelve days before succumbing to his injuries. In the film, mentor Felix Ravinstill is hospitalized and dies after a few days, prompting Dr. Gaul to send the snake mutts into the arena.

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Dr. Gaul announcing Felix Ravinstill's death

In the book, Dr Gaul's snake mutts are deployed much earlier in the games - on Day 4. The snakes kill two tributes before Lucy Gray seemingly lures them to her and lulls them with her singing. The snakes die somewhat unceremoniously in the rain overnight. In the movie, they make a dramatic late entrance and play a pivotal role in concluding the competition, ultimately leading to Lucy Gray's victory.

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Lucy Gray Baird singing at snakes

In the book, it's Wovey who drinks from a poisoned water bottle that Lucy Gray leaves out for Coral, and Dill dies from complications due to tuberculosis early in the Games. In the movie, Dill drinks Lucy Gray's poisoned water, and the snake mutts overtake Wovey.

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Wovey, Lucy Gray and Dill enter the arenaWovey and Lucy Gray Baird

Lucy Gray and the poisoned waterIn the book, Mizzen falls to his death after being attacked by drones that Teslee hacked. In the film, he's one of the final tributes swarmed by Dr. Gaul's snake mutts. 

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Mizzen and the snake mutts

In the book, Reaper manages to evade Dr. Gaul's rainbow snakes, and the competition for Victor comes down to him and Lucy Gray rather than Lucy Gray and Coral. In their final confrontation, Lucy Gray tries to tire Reaper out, knowing he previously contracted rabies from Jessup. In the end, Reaper dies when he drinks water from a puddle, not realizing Lucy Gray had contaminated it with rat poison. In the movie, Reaper is given a more noble and dramatic death. He stays perfectly calm and lets the snake mutts overcome him. 

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Reaper's final moments in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes-

What's your take on the book-to-film changes in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes? Do you believe these changes enhanced the excitement of The Hunger Games or detracted from the narrative? 

Everything We Know About the 50th Hunger Games: A Look at the 2nd Quarter Quell

The 50th Hunger Games/Second Quarter Quell - Let's Review!Get ready! Suzanne Collins' new book, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, is set to hit the shelves on March 18, 2025, with a film adaptation following on November 20, 2026. This installment takes us back to the 50th Hunger Games (the Second Quarter Quell), starting with the morning of the reaping. 

We have yet to uncover the secrets of the new book, so let's delve into everything we DO know about the 2nd Quarter Quell from the previous books! 

The Second Quarter Quell

A Quarter Quell is a special edition of the Hunger Games held every twenty-five years to mark the anniversary of the end of the First Rebellion. Each Quell introduces a twist in the reaping process, altering the selection of tributes in some way. 

In the Second Quarter Quell, as a reminder that two rebels died for every Capitol citizen, twice the number of regular tributes were sent into the Games for a total of 48.

The Reaping in District 12

In the book, an unnamed girl and boy were reaped along with Maysilee Donner, whose twin sister and a young Mrs. Everdeen were seen clinging to each other in the crowd. Haymitch Abernathy was the last tribute called. 

Did you know? Maysilee's twin grew up to be Madge Undersee's mother in Katniss's era. In the books, Madge was Katniss's school friend and was the one who gave her the Mockingjay pin (which originally belonged to her Aunt Maysilee!) before the 74th Hunger Games. So Katniss and Madge were friends, and Maysilee, Mrs. Undersee, and Mrs. Everdeen were friends growing up. The web of connections in the Hunger Games universe is truly fascinating. 

Caesar Flickerman: Rocking the blue suit since the 50th Hunger Games

Pre Games

By the 50th Games, Caesar Flickerman was the Hunger Games host, and he was wearing his famous twinkling midnight blue suit.

In his interview with Caesar Flickerman, Haymitch came across as snarky, arrogant, and indifferent. 

Caesar: "So, Haymitch, what do you think of the Games having one hundred percent more competitors than usual?"

Haymitch: "I don't see that it makes much difference. They'll still be one hundred percent as stupid as usual, so I figure my odds will be roughly the same."

Click to read more ...

The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes - NOW On 4K Ultra HD/Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is now available on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, Blu-ray combo pack, and DVD. Pictured are the standard Blu-ray, the Walmart Steelbook Edition, and the Target exclusive Blu-Ray packaging

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is now available on physical media, including a 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, Blu-ray combo pack, and DVD. 

Coriolanus and Lucy Gray "Don't let me die in this arena tomorrow"

Tom Blyth behind-the-scenes of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Here are a couple of sneak peeks of the 8-part behind-the-scenes documentary in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes 4K UHD/Blu-Ray special features focusing on Dr. Gaul's look and costumes, Rachel Zegler singing live on set, and Tom Blyth and Rachel’s close working relationship and friendship.

A deeper dive into all the special features available in each format can be found in this post. 

If you haven't ordered yours yet, the Amazon link is HERE. 

80+ New Stills And Behind The Scenes Photos From The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

The Snow Family Holiday Card?Thanks to the special features included on the upcoming 4k/Blu-ray release of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, we got our hands on a treasure trove of new stills!

Lucy Gray (Rachel Zegler) with her reaping cardThese 80+ new photos give us a glimpse into the making of the movie, showing the hard work and dedication that went into bringing the story to life on the big screen. From the costumes and makeup, to the  talented actors and the hardworking crew, every detail has been captured in stunning detail by legendary photographer Murray Close. 

Sejanus, Coriolanus, and Tigris watch Lucy Gray sing on interview nightWovey and Lucy Gray enter the arenaLucy Gray Baird and Coriolanus Snow "A dance or two."Trish Summerville and Tom BlythLucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler) in the meadowTigris and Coriolanus "You can be good. You are good"Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow on set with Francis LawrenceRachel Zegler on The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes set

The physical media release is next Tuesday, February 13th. If you haven't preordered yet, the link is HERE. If you want to review the different special features available on each version of the home media release, check out our post HERE. 

You can see all of the 80+ new images in the galleries section of our site.

The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes Official Stills Gallery 1 is HERE.

The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes Official Stills Gallery 2 is HERE.

The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes Official Stills Gallery 3 is HERE.

The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes Official Behind The Scenes Gallery is HERE

The Hunger Games: Illustrated Edition Coming October 1, 2024

The Hunger Games: Illustrated Edition Book Cover Art

It’s a NEED!! The Hunger Games: Illustrated Edition - A deluxe illustrated edition of The Hunger Games, with more than 30 black and white drawings from artist Nico Delort, will be released October 1, 2024! You can pre-order now here. 

Finally, justice for Madge Undersee“Certain illustrations made an indelible impression on me growing up, and the images are forever linked to books I love, including John Tenniel’s classic drawings for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Fritz Eichenberg’s wood engravings for Wuthering Heights,” Suzanne Collins said in a statement. “I’m thrilled with Nico Delort’s striking black-and-white scratchboard artwork for The Hunger Games and feel it will have the same lasting influence on a new generation of Panem readers.”

The Hunger Games Arena and cornucopia“Those of us who have been enthralled by the world of The Hunger Games for the past 15 years will have new reason to be spellbound, as this new illustrated edition gives us both a reason to reread the novel (which continues to resonate) and a chance to see it with new eyes, through the extraordinary vision of Nico Delort,” Scholastic editorial director David Levithan said.

Biblically accurate Everdeen family with Buttercup the cat I don’t think I’ve ever added to cart so fast in my entire life. You can pre-order your copy of The Hunger Games: Illustrated Edition for $34.99 HERE. 

The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes hits 4K Ultra HD/Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital on February 13th!

The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes hits 4K Ultra HD/Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital on February 13thOn February 13th, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes will get its physical media release, including a 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, a Blu-ray combo pack, and a DVD. 

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack

The home media release for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will include slightly different special features for each format, including an 8-part making-of documentary for the film's 4K UHD and Blu-ray versions focused on how director Francis Lawrence developed the relationship between Lucy Gray Baird and Coriolanus Snow. 

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes special features for the different formats

Walmart will also have an exclusive 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray™ + Digital SteelBook featuring new Lucy Gray and Coriolanus Snow cover art. 

Walmart is also releasing a special four-film SteelBook collection, which includes the previous four Hunger Games films in 4K UHD, with art featuring Katniss Everdeen and President Snow. Here's some of the art from the Ballad and the 4 film Steelbooks:

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and the Hunger Games 4 Film Steelbook Edition Art from Walmart

Target exclusive Blu-Ray packaging:

Target Exclusive Artwork

Here are the special features on the different formats:

4K UHD/ Blu-ray Special Features:

Audio Commentary with Producer-Director Francis Lawrence and Producer Nina Jacobson (Not Included on Digital)

"Predator or Prey: Making The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes" 8-Part Documentary (Not Included on Digital)

        Songbirds & Snakes (The Acting Ensemble)

        Pure as the Driven Snow (The Music of Lucy Gray Baird)

        A Palette of Tactics (On Location in Poland and Berlin)

        Humanity Undressed (Costume, Makeup & Hair)

        To the Victor Go the Spoils (Stunts & Weapons)

        Inner Sanctum (The Post-Production Process)

        Snow Lands on Top (Reflections)

    "The Hanging Tree" Song by Rachel Zegler

    A Letter to the Fans

    Theatrical Trailers (4K Only)

DVD Special Features

• Audio Commentary with Producer-Director Francis Lawrence and Producer Nina Jacobson
• Welcome Back to Panem
• The Music of The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
• The Costumes of The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
• The Casting of The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
• "The Hanging Tree" Song by Rachel Zegler
• A Letter to the Fans

Apple TV Special Features

• Finding a Different Sound: The Music of The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
• Welcome Back to Panem
• The Costumes of The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
• The Casting of The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
• "The Hanging Tree" Song by Rachel Zegler
• A Letter to the Fans

Amazon Blu-ray Exclusive Special Features

The 4K UHD/Blu-Ray Features listed above PLUS:

• Imagining a Retro Future: The Look of The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
• The Arc of a Tyrant: Creating Coriolanus Snow in The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes

Entertainment Weekly’s The Ultimate Guide to The Hunger Games Special Edition Magazine

Entertainment Weekly’s The Ultimate Guide to The Hunger Games

We got our hands on an advance copy of Entertainment Weekly’s The Ultimate Guide to The Hunger Games, a special edition magazine all about The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, AND the original four films. This collector’s edition goes behind the scenes of all 5 Hunger Games movies and is full of new stills, set photos, and interviews with the cast and crew of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. 

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Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Tom Blyth, Viola Davis, and Francis Lawrence Behind The Scenes on The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Rachel Zegler, Tom Blyth, and Josh Andrés Rivera and the tributes on The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes set

Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird singing during her interview in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and SnakesTom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes in the Snow apartment

Lucy Gray Baird and The Covey playing at The Hob in The Ballad of Songbirds and SnakesThe tribute pack: Coral, Mizzen and Tanner in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Ashley Liao as Clemensia DovecoteRachel Zegler and Tom Blyth as Lucy Gray and Coriolanus Snow in the woods of District 12Rachel Zegler, Francis Lawrence and Konstantin Taffet (Clerk Carmine) behind the scenes of The Ballad of Songbirds and SnakesDimitri Abold as Reaper Ash in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

This special issue is out now, and you can find it at bookstores and magazine stands near you OR by ordering from Amazon HERE. 

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes Soundtrack & Vinyl Available for Pre-Order

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes Soundtrack & Vinyl Available for Pre-Order

You can now preorder The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes soundtrack, which drops November 17th. There are two limited edition vinyls of the soundtrack - a gorgeous blue version and an orange -  that ship February 2nd.

There's also a limited edition etched vinyl of Olivia Rodrigo’s single “Can’t Catch Me Now” that ships today!

Preorder your copy of the Soundtrack on all formats here:

Orange Vinyl

Blue Vinyl - sold out but available on ebay

CD

MP3 

Order Olivia Rodrigo's Single:

Etched Vinyl - sold out but available on ebay

MP3