Hunger Games Prequel Movie Officially In Development With Original Director Returning

A movie prequel to the Hunger Games franchise is in the works, it has been confirmed.

Suzanne Collins' new novel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snake, is set for release on 19 May and the author is now working with Lionsgate - the studio which produced the original film series - to bring it to the big screen.

It has long been rumoured that the new novel, which is based on the Panem world from the original book series, would be turned into a film.

However, the exciting news has now been confirmed, with both Collins and Lionsgate announcing the deal to The Hollywood Reporter.

And what's more, the team behind the original movies - director Francis Lawrence, screenwriter Michael Arndt, and producer Nina Jacobson - are all back on board.

A statement from Collins, who will be an executive producer on the project, revealed she was 'delighted' to be involved with the project.

She said: "Lionsgate has always been the cinematic home of The Hunger Games, and I'm delighted to be returning to them with this new book."

Joe Drake, chairman of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, also said the studio was excited to return to the world.

He told the press: "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 prequel will focus on Coriolanus Snow at the age of 18, way before he became the fairly nasty president of the Roman Empire-style world of Panem.

Speaking about the novel, Collins said: "With this book, I wanted to explore the state of nature, who we are and what we perceive is required for our survival.

"The reconstruction period 10 years after the war, commonly referred to as the Dark Days - as the country of Panem struggles back to its feet - provides fertile ground for characters to grapple with these questions and thereby define their views of humanity."

Reports of a film adaptation started doing the rounds last year when Lionsgate chairman Drake revealed that he was in discussions with Collins about the possibility of getting back together.

At the time, Drake gave a strong indication that work was being done to make sure the series returned to the big screen.

He said: "We've been communicating with her [Collins] during the writing process and we look forward to continuing to work closely with her on the movie."

Featured Image Credit: Lionsgate

Topics: TV and Film

Dominic Smithers

Dominic graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History. Like you, Dom has often questioned how much use a second language has been. Well, after stints working at the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express, along with never setting foot in France, he realised the answer is surprisingly little. But I guess, c'est la vie. Contact us at [email protected]

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