The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakeshas found its Sejanus Plinth inWest Side Storystar Josh Andrés Rivera.

Sejanus is a mentor for one of the District 2 tributes and a close friend of Coriolanus Snow, with whom he worked during the 10th Annual Hunger Games. Tom Blyth, who will be starring alongside Rivera, was announced back in May to be playing the future president inLionsgate’sHunger Gamesprequel.

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Rivera is not the onlyWest Side Storystar to be cast in the upcoming prequel. Back in May, it was announced thatRachel Zegler would play the lead roleof the District 12 tribute, Lucy Gray Baird. Zegler played the lead role of Maria in the 2021 film, where she worked closely with Rivera’s Chino. “Always and forever proud of my Joshua,” Zegler tweeted following Rivera’s casting announcement by The Wrap. The pair have been together since at least February when they confirmed their relationship status via social media. Both actors made their feature film debut in Steven Spielberg’sWest Side Story, and they seem excited to reunite on the screen once more forThe Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakesfollows a young Coriolanus Snow as he becomes a mentor for the Tenth Hunger Games for the very first time. However, Snow is disappointed when he finds out that he will be mentoring the female tribute from District 12, Lucy Gray Baird. Given District 12’s track record, Snow must figure out the best way to prepare her for this year’s Games in order to reap the prize money for himself. Snow works tirelessly to prove his worth to the people of the Capitol and his fellow peers at the Games. But, after a series of events leads him back to his tribute, he must decide what is best for him, the House of Snow, and the Capitol.

While it seems as though the film is still in its casting phase, fans oftheHunger Gamesfranchisecan rest easy. Francis Lawrence, who directedCatching Fire,Mockingjay Part One, andMockingjay Part Two, is returning to direct theprequel film, and hopefully plans to incorporate the same level of creativity and excitement as seen in the previous films.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakesis scheduled to hit theaters on August 08, 2025.