THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRD AND SNAKE (2023): Francis Lawrence to Direct HUNGER GAMES Prequel

Director Francis Lawrence helms his third Hunger Games installment

Francis Lawrence directs The Ballad of Songbird and Snake based on Susan Collins’ 2020 novel.

Francis Lawrence is the logical choice to direct the fifth and latest chapter of the Hunger Games saga.

Lawrence is well acquainted with the franchise, a proven asset. This is not surprising, considering his first two directing projects — both blockbusters — recommended him right at out the outset: Constantine and I Am Legend. These efforts, in concert with a crack team, speak to his mastery of high concept apocalyptic appeal: lean, dynamic direction, visually exciting and evocative.

Of special interest is that Butterfly, the original working title for this prequel, has apparently been junked in favor for that of the novel. This is a wise choice, in my opinion. “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” lends a solemn tenor of mythos, whereas “Butterfly” suggests something breezy, whimsical and lightweight, a wholesale departure for this action-driven dystopian fiction series.

As an aside, many are eager to compare Hunger Games to Kenji Fukasaku’s seminal action-thriller masterpiece, Battle Royale. While this is understandable, I believe this comparison is over-broad, and can be narrowed down to a singular “battle royal” plot device. Both concern dystopias in which teens are conscripted for violent confrontations until one (or more) emerges triumphant.

Otherwise, these films are categorically different. Battle Royale emphasizes the violent potential of a mismanaged Generation Gap and is well within the realm of possibility even now. Hunger Games is essentially a very well written hybrid YA fantasy soap opera, whose film productions laid on the cash. So far It has paid off, too, in terms of its technical expertise, top-notch talent on both sides of the camera, and dazzling visuals evoking considerable suspension of belief.

Both films are said to have subtext relating to reality-show popularity gone haywire. This is implied in Battle Royale, whereas Hunger Games revels in the TV show glitz and glamour; an ingenious and rousing aspect of the film, instantly relatable, and at once both goofy and frightening. It did not have, though, the complex, close-up emotional investment among the players that distinguished Battle Royale.

Judging from the synopsis, the prequel strongly focuses on specific historical context in the form of backstory for the future tyrant, Coriolanus Snow, in the midst of teenage angst. How would the writers, Michael Arndt, Suzanne Collins, and Michael Lesslie, approach what promises to be a deeper character-driven theme? Will they open up the characters and allow the audience a closer look? If so, how would Lawrence shape the scenes for the expected visual impact? Will it be more of the same? A surfeit of plot twists and reversals that mark the soap opera genre?

For answers we must wait more than a year to find out. The distributor, Lionsgate, has determined a theatre release date right down to the day: November 17, 2023. While the producers and legal counsel are in solid, the film has yet to find a cast, and it should be interesting to observe that process as the project moves forward. As with all blockbuster franchises of this ilk, an established fan base assures some measure of success right out of the gate, and likely the release of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will be no exception.

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The Ballad of Songbird and Snake will be released in theaters through Lionsgate on November 17, 2023. Want up-to-the-minute notifications? FilmBook staff members publish articles by Email, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, Reddit, and Flipboard. This news was brought to our attention by ScreenDaily.