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Manila Bulletin devider Lifestyle devider 'Hunger Games' prequel casts Tom Blyth as young President Snow

'Hunger Games' prequel casts Tom Blyth as young President Snow

Published May 17, 2022 02:00 pm

‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ is set to be released in November 2023

With the coming of the movie adaptation of the novel “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” “Hunger Games” fans are now speculating about who will be in it to bring Panem to life, pre-Katniss Everdeen time. It looks like the search for the lead is over as actor Tom Blyth is officially announced as young Coriolanus Snow, a role previously portrayed by Donald Sutherland.

Donald Sutherland and Tom Blyth

The 27-year-old English actor is known for his performance in TV shows such as “Billy the Kid” and “The Gilded Age” and in the 2021 movie “Benediction.”

“Tom Blyth is an explosive rising talent whose mesmerizing and charismatic presence makes him an exciting actor and perfect for this leading role,” stated Lionsgate’s motion picture group president, Erin Westerman.

News about Suzanne Collins’ “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” coming to the screens broke during CinemaCon in Las Vegas last April. The prequel novel is set decades before the events of the “Hunger Games” trilogy, where readers get to discover the story of young Coriolanus Snow as a student-mentor to District 12 tribute Lucy Gray Baird.

The movie synopsis reads: “Years before he would become the tyrannical President of Panem, 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow is the last hope for his fading lineage, a once-proud family that has fallen from grace in a post-war Capitol. With the 10th annual Hunger Games fast approaching, the young Snow is alarmed when he is assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird, the girl tribute from impoverished District 12. But, after Lucy Gray commands all of Panem’s attention by defiantly singing during the reaping ceremony, Snow thinks he might be able to turn the odds in their favor. Uniting their instincts for showmanship and newfound political savvy, Snow and Lucy’s race against time to survive will ultimately reveal who is a songbird, and who is a snake.”

“The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” is set to premiere on Nov. 17, 2023.

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