Summary
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakesmight finally be getting a much-needed injection of promotion as Rachel Zegler finally gets to discuss the project without infringing on the terms of the actors' strike.
Lionsgate’sThe Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakestakes place more than 6 decades before the events of the mainline films and follows a young Coriolanus Snow as he seeks to restore his family’s prestige and finds his fate linked to that of Lucy Gray Baird, a defiant tribute from the unremarkable 12th district, who he must mentor through the 10th edition of the titular Hunger Games. Due to the source material of the same name being written in 2020, long after the series’ initial surge of popularity, many fans don’t knowwhatThe Ballad of Songbirds and Snakesis about, a fact that hasn’t been helped by the lack of promotion from the film’s cast due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike.
The strike and its far-reaching effects, which sawthe Screen Actors Guild set its sights on the video game industry, haven’t yet reached a solution. However, a new interim agreement between the union and studio Lionsgate has finally allowed the cast ofThe Ballad of Songbirds and Snakesto discuss the film, with lead actress Zegler leading the charge. Taking to Instagram to finally reveal a poster for the film to her followers, Zeglar accompanied the image with a multi-paragraph caption, partly reading:
I am so beyond thankful to @lionsgate and @sagaftra for working so hard throughout this strike to come to an agreement, allowing us to participate in press and promotion for our film, which comes to theaters on november 17. lionsgate’s efforts are proof that studios, big and small, can meet us in a place of fairness for their films and the people who work so hard to make them.
Zegler also praised her time on set and reminded users there was more to come. “Making this movie was hands-down one of the best experiences of my life thus far. i cannot wait to share more behind-the-scenes content with you all, the fans, who make experiences like this eight million times better. there will be lots of all of my beautiful friends from the cast, as well as appreciation for our crew, which is filled with people i love so deeply. (so watch this space! there’s more to come).” The upcoming promotion from Zegler and others is a much-needed injection of attention for the upcoming film, withtheHunger Gamesprequel tracking towards a franchise-low opening.
In addition to Zegler,Game of Thronesstar Peter Dinklage joined theHunger Gamesprequelalong with the amazing talents Tom Blyth, Hunter Schafer, Jason Schwartzman, Josh Andrés Rivera, and Viola Davis. The attention all these big names will generate for the film before it premieres might be the difference between sinking or swimming for the box office prospects, a fact that Lionsgate likely considered when signing on to enter the interim agreement. While similar agreements have been signed throughout the strike, Lionsgate andThe Ballad of Songbirds and Snakesare the most prominent example, and the one closest to release.
Despite the potential for improvement in the fate of the film now that the promotional campaign can start in earnest, some think that it’s too late and maintain that the SAG-AFTRA strike ruinedthe supposedly plannedHunger Gamesrenaissancethat seemed to be starting up around the time the film was announced. How the prequel film will fare and what that means for the franchise’s future remains to be seen.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakesis currently set for theatrical release on May 17, 2025
