Summary
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakesis a prequel to the originalHunger Gamestrilogy, and there are quite a few differences between the two, especially when it comes to the importance of the lore and the history of Panem. If they haven’t read the books, there are some crucial details that fans should be aware of before watching the movie.
This article will list some of the most relevant details about the history behindThe Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakesso that fans can contextualize themselves before watching it.
This article contains light spoilers forThe Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
Coriolanus Snow
Main Character
Coriolanus Snow is the maincharacter inThe Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. This character was an important part of the original trilogy, and those who watched it will know him as a cold-hearted villain who rules over Panem and tries his very best to take down Katniss Everdeen.
Since Snow is 64 years younger than inThe Hunger Games, fans get to see another side to this man - before he becomes the threatening tyrant they always knew.
The War
Panem Civil War
The Panem civil war is mentioned quite a lot throughout the events ofThe Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Since the story is focused mostly on Coriolanus Snow and everything that goes on inside his mind, it’s crucial that fans understand how the war destroyed the lives of many of the inhabitants of Panem.
The civil war between the districts' rebels and the Capitol left a path of destruction in its wake. This war and its aftermath resulted in several major events that are relevant toThe Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’s plot, such as the death of Coriolanus’s father, the existence of The Hunger Games, and the creation of jabberjays.This major historical event left deep emotional scars on several characters in the story, but most importantly, it molded Snow and his way of thinking.
Setting
Decades Prior To The First Hunger Games Book & Movie
The Hunger Gamessequel takes place 64 years before the first movie in the trilogy. The events in this story will start on the morning of the Reaping for The Hunger Games, much like the original book. However, this time around,fans will be able to experience it from a different point of view: the same as the Gamemakers and the spectators in the Capitol.
In this past reality, Capitol folk don’t seem to enjoy the game as much because it lacks incentives to get them to watch it and accompany every update on the Tributes.
Tenth Annual Hunger Games
Important Event
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakestakes place during the tenth annual Hunger Games. As most fans know, the original trilogy takes place much further in the future. Katnissentered the arena for the 74th and the 75th Hunger Games.
It was during this time that theGamemakers and the Academy students inThe Ballad of Songbirds and Snakesimplemented some of the most important changes that remained until the very last Hunger Games.
What to Expect
Beyond The Hunger Games
Even though The Hunger Games are mentioned in the title of the movie and they’re what lead to many of the major plot points in this story,The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakesisn’t necessarily about The Hunger Games themselves.
Regardless, the games are still quite relevant. However, those excited towatchThe Hunger Gamessequelshould know that only a third of the book is set during The Hunger Games, and even during this time, there is a lot of focus on other story elements.
District 12
A Main Location
Some fans may be familiar with District 12, as it’s where Katniss Everdeen, Peeta Mellark, Gale Hawthorne, and Haymitch Abernathy resided. This district makes another appearance this time around, as it’s one of the main locations inThe Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
District 12 is one of the poorest districts in Panem, and it consists mostly of coal miners. While there are districts with citizens who were purposely trained to enter and win The Hunger Games, this is most definitely not the reality in District 12. InCatching Fire, many of the districts had several victors for the Quarter Quell, while District 12 only had three: Katniss, Peeta, and Haymitch.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakesis scheduled to hit theaters on Jun 18, 2025.
