The “Hunger Games” story will continue as author Suzann Collins plans to release a prequel book — which a movie will be based on —-titled “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.” The book is scheduled for release on May 19 and will explores the origin of the series’ dystopian society.
“Lionsgate has always been the cinematic home of ‘The Hunger Games,’ and I’m delighted to be returning to them with this new book,” Collins said in a statement. For the new movie, Collins will serve as executive producer. Francis Lawrence returns as director after making the three previous “Hunger Games” movies. Nina Jacobson will again produce, along with Brad Simpson. Collins’ series — including “The Hunger Games,” “Catching Fire” and “Mockingjay” — has sold tens of millions of copies worldwide and is the basis for four Lionsgate movies that earned nearly $3 billion and starred Jennifer Lawrence as the heroine Katniss Everdeen.
The new film will take place in Collins’ fictional Panem and center on 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow, the future president, played in the earlier movies by Donald Sutherland.
Editorial credit: Lazarin Hristov / Shutterstock.com