Rachel Zegler (
"West Side Story") is joining the cast of the new installment in
"The Hunger Games" franchise. Titled
"The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes", Lionsgate's movie is based on
Suzanne Collins' 2020 novel, which is both a spin-off and prequel to the original trilogy. The film will be directed by franchise veteran
Francis Lawrence, who directed
"Catching Fire",
"Mockingjay Part One" and
"Mockingjay Part Two".
Zegler will star in the lead role of Lucy Gray Baird, while
Tom Blyth also joined the cast as a young Coriolanus Snow, who was played by
Donald Sutherland, in the previous films. The latest draft of the script is penned by
Michael Lesslie (
"Macbeth",
"Assassin's Creed").
Years before he would become the tyrannical President of Panem, 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow is the last hope for his fading lineage, a once-proud family that has fallen from grace in a post-war Capitol. With the 10th annual Hunger Games fast approaching, the young Snow is alarmed when he is assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird, the girl tribute from impoverished District 12. But, after Lucy Gray commands all of Panem’s attention by defiantly singing during the reaping ceremony, Snow thinks he might be able to turn the odds in their favor. Uniting their instincts for showmanship and newfound political savvy, Snow and Lucy’s race against time to survive will ultimately reveal who is a songbird, and who is a snake.
"The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" will open in theaters worldwide on November 17, 2023. Collins,
Tim Palen, and
Jim Millerwill serve as executive producers.
Zegler is currently filming the title role in Disney's live action remake
"Snow White".
