The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes [Hunger Games prequel]

pixelburp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119868756#Comment_119868756

Nope, you're a year out 🙂

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119868767#Comment_119868767

Well, for once I am very happy to be wrong!

🤣

CastorTroy

Was about to say weren't they still casting only a couple months ago, so would've been really quick turnaround which wouldn't give me much hope for it.

johnny_ultimate

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119869309#Comment_119869309

I often get the impression that’s a bit of a marketing thing to keep a film in the trades.

But nonetheless it has been a pretty rapid production by modern standards. I was surprised to see Zegler saying she wrapped the other day when it feels like she was just confirmed a few months ago.

First trailer...

https://youtu.be/f9BwB3SBPOg

pixelburp

Hmmm, maybe it does have "flop" written all over it, though it could come down to what's releasing around it. Trailer looks all right but nothing special and remain baffled why President Snow is getting a backstory.

I read that Suzanne Collins confirmed in an interview that...

Spoiler Warning

Lucy Gray Baird is Katniss Everdeen's paternal grandmother.

gmisk

Looks expensive, I will go see it definitely. Rachel Zegler was excellent in the west side story remake.

Brief_Lives

Yea, Rachel Zegler has me hooked.

Potential-Monke

Maybe I'm taking it up wrong, as I haven't read the books, but in that trailer did they claim it was both the 10th Hunger Games, but there are people saying the first Hunger Games... Is it time jumping or they're doing a whole first "televised" Hunger Games? Confused.com

Must give the originals a watch again. They were no Battle Royale, but they were interesting in their own way, stupid forced love story aside. Will surely give this a watch.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120552366#Comment_120552366

First "televised" Hunger Games.

The original movies do not do the book series justice, despite a strong cast, particularly Jennifer Lawrence and Donald Sutherland. I strongly recommend the books over the movies.

@pixelburp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120530497#Comment_120530497

@pixelburp

No spoilers, but since the trailer came out, I went back and made another attempt at reading the book (TBOSAS) again from the start. Previously I struggled to get through it, but this time, it clicked. My friend who kept encouraging me to finish it was right, it all comes together in Part 3 of the book, and it all makes sense now. All I will add, is this is definitely not a redemption story for Snow. Not at all. Its well worth the read.

I will definitely be going to see the film now, and I hope Francis Lawrence does a good job and this one lives up to the book, in the way the previous films didn't. Suzanne Collins is a great writer.

gmisk

https://youtu.be/NxW_X4kzeus?si=d0LlK6YzclD_QJep

Looks like a new trailer?

I enjoyed the book will check it out

pixelburp

It looks splashy enough for sure, its kind of 1950s aesthetic kinda cute, but can't say it'd entice me to go to the cinema for it.

Sidebar but I hate that GDPR means you can delete your username, leaving these weird random 3 word placeholder accounts instead. Really gums up a thread.

Ezeoul

This is pissing me off, and putting me right off going to see the movie.

https://screenrant.com/hunger-games-ballad-songbirds-snakes-coriolanus-snow-prologue-book-changes/

Decision by Francis Lawrence / Nina Jacobsen to add an additional prologue scene not in the book.

I have no desire to see Snow portrayed in any kind of sympathetic light. None.

Why TF does Suzanne Collins allow directors to do this to her characters?

silverharp

seems a bit of a creative mess, Snow is neither the antagonist nor the hero of the movie, just some side character who will pop up during the film?

Ezeoul

No, Snow is definitely the main character in this movie.

The whole book is from Snow's perspective.

silverharp

maybe but just looking at the trailer wont the average person just think Zegler is the new Katniss character.? Snow was a good villain but he isnt exactly Vader or the Joker, we dont need to know that much about his past.

Ezeoul

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121142710#Comment_121142710

Maybe... I would assume most people going to see it would have read the book, including the original trilogy.

This book is Snow's story, and about how the Games evolved, and is told in his voice.

Lucy Gray is very different to Katniss... If anything, there are more parallels between young Snow and Katniss.

It is a good story and there is no question that Suzanne Collins is a brilliant writer. It explains a lot, without redeeming him.

But I'm guessing the book will prove to be better than the movie! Im not expecting much, given recent comments by Francis Lawrence and Nina Jacobsen.

If I do go see it, it will be for Peter Drinklage and Viola Davis.

gmisk

Tracking for a very decent opening.

https://deadline.com/2023/10/the-hunger-games-the-ballad-of-songbirds-and-snakes-box-office-1235583987/

pixelburp

Deadline saying the movie cost about $100 million - that's practically a snip these days with Blockbusters; IIRC less than was spent on the Mockingjay 2-parter, but only slightly more than Catching Fire. Though it's coming out only a week after The Marvels, and the same weekend as the latest Trolls movie. While the following week is Napolean & Disney's Wish - so it's a crowded enough group of potential box-office draws.

As years have gone on I've come to appreciate these films way more, both in terms of getting the YA Ingredients just right, and in being smarter, better structured blockbusters than we ended up getting in the subsequent years. They didn't quite usher in a sea-change in anything, only sloppy copycats it seems. Though I'd say my thoughts on the 2 part split remains about the same.

Brief_Lives

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121290889#Comment_121290889

so, bottom line horse, do I watch it. You seem to know your way around these things.

caveat... not a big Leo fan.

pixelburp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121290978#Comment_121290978

Horse? Leo? You got the right thread? 😆

gmisk

Pretty scathing review in the guardian.

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/nov/09/the-hunger-games-the-ballad-of-songbirds-and-snakes-review-back-to-an-empty-future?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

Rotten tomatoes score a bit more promising.

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_hunger_games_the_ballad_of_songbirds_and_snakes

silverharp

the reviews are pretty bad, one theme is they miss Jennifer Lawrence, and otherwise is bloated and bland , ill watch it on streaming just for the city aesthetics which will probably be decent

gmisk

Saw this morning, overall it wasn't too bad at all, first 2/3rds was very solid, last third went a bit off the rails and felt rushed. The kitsch 50s styling was terrific, I did enjoy the book overall and this was pretty close to it.

I liked Zegler and she is an excellent singer Tom Blyth was fine but far too old to play the lead, Viola Davis was very camp OTT fun and Dinklage and Hunter Schafer brought a nice bit of texture and soul to small roles. Schwartzman real scene stealer, would have loved more. Solid if overlong with a stuffed rushed last third 7/10

santana75

Saw this earlier knowing nothing about the book and it being a long time since I saw The Hunger games, I'd completely forgotten the name of characters. Its too long, for a start, there was a lot of waffle, dialogue wise that is, they really needed to be more ruthless with the editing and the songs were a pain...........that said, overall I enjoyed it, I thought the dude with the blonde hair was very good and the film had some good set pieces and stand out moments.

Homelander

I thought this was alright. Not great, but not unwatchable, I'd say I enjoyed it more than the two-parter end to Hunger Games.

Acting is pretty good, but the last act felt a bit rushed despite the length of the movie.

I did laugh at the line about how the dude would have turned 19 if he hadn't died, guy looked older than Luke Littler.

Did not realise that was Hunter Schaefer playing the sister until the credits, I was driven mad by how familar she was.

Ezeoul

I agree, having said that, it was better than I hoped it would be.

I too thought Act Three "The Peacekeeper" was far too rushed. In the book, this is where it all finally came together, but it was not so clear on screen. If you were to watch the film only, you'd believe the main character, Snow, was actually friends with Sejanus and cared about him. Whereas in the book you know he actually despises him and has nothing but contempt for him all along.

I'd still love to know how Tigris (Hunter Schaefer) Snow's cousin and biggest supporter, ended up becoming part of an underground rebellion and wanting him dead in Mockingjay. But only Suzanne Collins can answer to that. Maybe there will be another book in ten years. ;)

eta - as expected, Viola Davis as Head Gamemaker Volumnia Gaul, was outstanding.

Ezeoul

There is going to be another book!!

Suzanne Collins has announced there will be another prequel book to the original series released in March 2025 and movie in November 2026.

"Sunrise on the Reaping" will be based around Haymitch Abernathy's story and begin on the day of his Reaping for the 50th Games. (Haymitch was played by Woodie Harrelson in the previous movies).

Francis Lawrence is in talks to direct this movie.