The Hunger Games film series is composed of science fiction dystopian adventure films, based on The Hunger Games trilogy of novels by the American author Suzanne Collins. The movies are distributed by Lionsgate and produced by Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik. The series star Jennifer Lawrence as the protagonist Katniss Everdeen, and also featurs Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci, and Donald Sutherland. The series ended in 2015 with The Hunger Games: Mocking Jay Part II but now, it is returning with a prequel titled The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. As it happens, many critics have already seen the film and now that the reviews are out, so are the leaks. So, you want to experience the film knowing as little as possible, this article isn’t for you. The following section contains the full plot summary aka, MAJOR SPOILERS for the film, so beware.
The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Plot Summary and Recap
During the First Rebellion with the Districts, the patriarch of the noble Snow family, General Crassus Snow, is killed in action. Ten years later, Crassus’ eighteen-year-old son and heir, Coriolanus, is determined to restore the family’s prosperity. As the tenth annual Hunger Games approaches, he is one of 24 mentors, each assigned an individual tribute. Due to low viewership, Games author Casca Highbottom advises the mentors to ensure they focus on their tribute entertaining the viewers rather than winning the Games.
Coriolanus is assigned the District 12 female tribute, Lucy Gray Baird. Lucy Gray sparks the attention of the Capitol after singing during the reaping, as well as slipping a snake into the clothing of the mayor’s daughter Mayfair. Coriolanus is determined to ensure Lucy Gray wins over the hearts of the viewers, as the mentor of the best performing tribute will be promised fortune. Coriolanus attempts to befriend Lucy Gray to earn her trust, sneaking into the Capitol Zoo and humanizing her for the cameras, winning the sympathy of the Capitol citizens.
Coriolanus presents a proposal to Head Gamemaker Volumnia Gaul involving a sponsorship scheme, allowing Capitol viewers to donate to tribute’s mentors, who can send out supplies during the Games. Coriolanus bonds with Lucy Gray. During a tour of the arena with others, a rebel bomb explodes, killing several mentors and tributes. Lucy Gray saves Coriolanus from collapsing debris, changing his perception of her; he gifts her some rat poison to make use of during the Games.
During the Games, many tributes quickly die in the initial chaos. Gaul implements Coriolanus’ suggestions to the games and Capitol viewership increases. Lucy Gray survives the initial onslaught by escaping through a hole torn from the rebel explosion, hiding in a service tunnel with District 12’s male tribute Jessup. Coriolanus’ friend Sejanus Plinth, resentful of the cruelty of the Games, sneaks into the arena and mourns alongside his fallen tribute. Coriolanus enters the arena to extract Sejanus, but they are attacked by tributes; Coriolanus is forced to kill one. The footage of the Games is altered to hide their presence.
Coriolanus realizes Gaul is going to release a tank of genetically modified snakes into the arena to speed up the Games; the snakes do not attack those with scents they are familiar. Coriolanus drops Lucy Gray’s handkerchief into the tank. When the snakes are dropped into the arena, they kill all remaining tributes but Lucy Gray; Gaul initially refuses to declare her the victor, until persuaded to do so by Capitol viewers. At the celebration, Coriolanus is confronted by Highbottom, who shows him the handkerchief and poison. As punishment for cheating, Coriolanus is forced to join the Peacekeepers on a twenty year sentence, and is transferred to District 12.
In District 12, Coriolanus reunites with Lucy Gray and they continue their relationship. Sejanus is also forced to join for sneaking into the arena; he plans to help a group of rebels escape to the north. Coriolanus uses a jabberjay to record Sejanus’ proposal, sending it back to Gaul. Sejanus is arrested and hanged for treason along with the other rebels; Lucy Gray tells Coriolanus to join her and escape to the north. On the way north, Coriolanus finds hidden weapons stashed by Lucy Gray in a cabin. When she vanishes, Coriolanus realizes Lucy Gray knows about his tip to Gaul about Sejanus, and pursues her with the rifle.
He is bitten by a snake set as a trap and becomes disillusioned. Coriolanus returns to the Capitol and is offered a spot at the University courtesy of Sejanus’ parents, who are unaware of his role in their son’s death. Coriolanus visits Highbottom, who confesses the Games were never intended to be a reality, and were merely a drunken idea that Crassus, who was his classmate in university, stole from him and made reality. Highbottom never forgave Crassus for this, and sees his deceitful nature in Coriolanus. Coriolanus slips rat poison into Highbottom’s drug stash. Gaul trains Coriolanus to be a future Gamemaker.
The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is set to release in theatres on November 17, 2023.
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