Lionsgate has announced that Oscar winner Viola Davis has been cast as Head Gamemaker and savvy political operator Dr. Volumnia Gaul in the upcoming prequel feature “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”.
This adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ #1 New York Times bestseller sees Davis joining Tom Blyth as a young Coriolanus Snow and Rachel Zegler as District 12 tribute Lucy Gray Baird.
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.
Francis Lawrence directs the film, which debuts in cinemas worldwide on November 17th 2023.
Davis will next be seen in filmmaker Gina Prince-Bythewood’s historical epic action drama feature “The Woman King” which will hit cinemas next month. A newly released featurette for that is out below:
Source: Lionsgate
