Hunger Games Prequel Movie Will Focus On The Series’ Villain

A new Hunger Games movie is in the works, and it’ll be a prequel focused on the series’ main villain, President Coriolanus Snow.

Francis Lawrence, who helmed all of the Hunger Games movies but the first, is returning to direct, Variety reported. In addition, producers Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson, along  with Catching Fire writer Michael Arndt, will be involved with the prequel movie. Series author Suzanne Collins will be involved as an executive producer.

No cast has been announced yet, so it’s anyone’s guess as to who will play the part of young Snow, for now.

With villain origin stories like Venom and Morbius existing, one might assume that this is just the latest example of Hollywood’s seeming fascination with the theme, even if those two examples were specifically Sony movies and focused on comic book supervillains. But while it’s clear that Hollywood wants to keep making money out of the Hunger Games series, the Hunger Game prequel is an adaptation of Collins’ upcoming new book, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

The story will focus on an 18-year-old Snow and, as Waterstones describes, his “humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low” during the 10th Hunger Games.

I vaguely remember liking Donald Sutherland’s portrayal of the character in the previous movies, but as a non-fan of the series, I’m not exactly hyped about the idea of focusing on Snow’s past. Apparently, fans aren’t pleased either.

Still, if the writing and story are good, it’s possible that the prequel will turn out to be an interesting watch. We’ll find out when the movie finally releases, though there’s currently no release date yet.