The Hunger Games series is no stranger to the top shelf of book stores and million dollar box offices. After just over a decade since the last Hunger Games, fans have returned to the fascinating dystopian world of money, power, and glory.
Written by Suzanne Collins, “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” serves as a prequel to the Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawernce) trilogy. This time around, readers and movie goers get an inside to the games with the start of their complexity through the perspective of young tyrannical leader, Coriolanus Snow during the 10th annual Hunger Games.
Assigned with the seemingly impossible task of turning a sacrificial tribute from District 12 into an entertainment spectacle, Snow is torn between the hunger for power and vulnerability of being in love. Shortly after being assigned his tribute, Lucy Gray Baird, it’s obvious he is enamored with her.
This slow burn love story of Coryo and Lucy Gray has fans practically transported back in time to the days of Peeta and Katniss’ love struggle. As most young adults can remember, myself included, the Hunger Games series was an important part of our childhood. Both the books and movies have become a generational staple.
Despite the first film being released over 11 years ago, the enthusiasm for the franchise remains. Trends on social media through platforms such as TikTok and Instagram is what keeps today’s teenagers in a Hunger Games chokehold. Infact, the hashtag #hungergames has almost 10 billion videos.
These videos include comical parodies, creative edits of characters, and even some filters have been made that “assign” you your district or another which allows you to rank your favorite characters.
As of this past weekend, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes surpassed everyone’s expectations. With the Rachel Zieglar Snow White controversy and the absence of star actors such as Jennifer Lawrence or Josh Hutcherson, the film was estimated to make only $30 million. However, the film, as of December 5, sits at a 122.1 million dollar box office revenue.
I suppose the odds were in director Francis Lawerence’s favor.
