Hold onto your Mockingjays. Tom Blyth, breakout star of Billy the Kid, has been cast as the young Coriolanus Snow in the much-awaited prequel The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Fans got their first look at the film with a trailer that premiered last week at CinemaCon 2023, with Blyth front and center.
Set 64 years before Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss Everdeen stepped into the arena, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes introduces us to Lucy Gray Baird, a feisty District 12 tribute portrayed by Rachel Zegler. The plot thickens as 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow (Blyth) takes on the role of her mentor in the deadly 10th annual Hunger Games. You might remember the ruthless President Snow from the original films, played by Donald Sutherland.
The story takes a thrilling turn when Lucy Gray captures Panem's attention by fearlessly singing during the reaping ceremony, leading Snow to believe he can turn the odds in their favor. As they unite their showmanship skills and political cunning, Snow and Lucy Gray's race against the clock to survive will reveal who's a songbird and who's a snake. Yes, just like the title.
Joining Blyth and Zegler in this star-studded cast are Viola Davis, Peter Dinklage, Euphoria's Hunter Schafer, and Jason Schwartzman, just to name a few.
Blyth's performance in Billy the Kid has fans eager to see how he'll bring the young Coriolanus Snow to life. The prequel promises to delve into Snow's early years, offering a fresh perspective on the character's rise to power and the events that shaped the dystopian world of Panem.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes already looks like it's going to be a wild ride. It's set to hit theaters on November 17, 2023. Will the odds be ever in Blyth's favor in terms of worming his way into moviegoers' hearts even as the cunning Snow? Only time will tell.
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