The Dream Team is Back for Another Hunger Games Movie: Francis Lawrence, Suzanne Collins & Nina Jacobson Reunite for The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes At Lionsgate

Exciting news, tributes! Our favorite team is BACK to bring us another Hunger Games film! The Hunger Games franchise filmmaker Francis Lawrence will return to direct the Lionsgate prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes based on Suzanne Collins’ upcoming Scholastic novel available for sale on May 19th. Lawrence directed the last three Hunger Games movies: Catching Fire, Mockingjay Part 1, and Mockingjay Part 2. No casting has been announced, but that doesn’t mean we can't start fan-casting once that book drops. The project will start prep once production can safely resume post COVID-19 pandemic.

We’re thrilled to report that franchise producers Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson are also returning. We know how carefully Nina treated every aspect of the franchise and are so happy she’s back for the prequel(s?). Suzanne Collins will write the film’s treatment (HOORAY!) and Michael Arndt, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Little Miss Sunshine will adapt the screenplay, after previously serving as one of the writers of Catching Fire. It's going to be GOOD! Suzanne Collins also will serve as an Executive Producer.

The deal was overseen by Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chairman Joe Drake, who bought the original book during his previous tenure at the studio as head of the motion picture group. With the release of the new book, Drake made The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes a priority for Lionsgate.

The prequel movie will focus on Coriolanus Snow at age 18, years before he would become the tyrannical President of Panem. Young Coriolanus is handsome and charming, and though the Snow family has fallen on hard times, he sees a chance for a change in his fortunes when he is chosen to be a mentor for the Tenth Hunger Games… only to have his elation dashed when he is assigned to mentor the girl tribute from impoverished District 12.

Commenting on the announcement, Drake said, “Suzanne’s new book has been worth the wait. It offers everything fans could hope for and expect from The Hunger Games while also breaking new ground and introducing an entirely new canvas of characters. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is creatively thrilling and takes this world to complex new dimensions that open up amazing cinematic possibilities. We’re thrilled to reunite this filmmaking team with this very unique franchise, and we can’t wait to begin production.”

“Lionsgate has always been the cinematic home of The Hunger Games, and I’m delighted to be returning to them with this new book,” said Collins. “From the beginning, they have treated the source material with great respect, honoring the thematic and narrative elements of the story, and assembling an incredible team both in front of and behind the camera. It’s such a pleasure to be reuniting with Nina, Francis, and Michael to adapt the novel to the screen, and having them share their remarkable talents, once again, with the world of Panem. I look forward to collaborating with them and all at Lionsgate as we bring The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes to theaters worldwide.”

Jim Miller, the Lionsgate executive who has served as the studio’s project executive on all of the franchise’s films, will oversee the production.

Lionsgate hinted at the possibility of more than one Hunger Games prequel movie in the works on twitter yesterday. “We’re just getting started.”

Order your copy of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes HERE.