The odds are in the favour of ‘Game of Thrones’ alum Peter Dinklage, who is set to star in the upcoming ‘Hunger Games’ prequel.
The Lionsgate release, titled ‘Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’, will see Dinklage play Casca Highbottom, dean of the Academy, an elite secondary school in the Capitol where children of the wealthy and powerful study. Casca is also credited as the mastermind behind the Hunger Games, a deadly event where children from each district, or tributes, from the dystopian world of Panem must fight to the death until only one is left standing.
Dinklage is best known for playing Tyrion Lannister in the hit HBO series ‘Game of Thrones’. He most recently appeared in the movie ‘Cyrano’, which was directed by Joe Wright.
According to Deadline, Dinklage will mentor a young Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth), who grows up to be the ruthless dictator to Panem. Rachel Zegler plays tribute Lucy Gray Baird, while Hunter Schafer has been cast as Tigris, cousin to Snow.
Francis Lawrence, who directed the franchise’s ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’, ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1’ and ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2’, will direct this adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ novel.
The Hunger Games prequel is looking to cash in on the landmark three-film franchise that went on to earn more than $3 billion globally and made lead star Jennifer Lawrence a household name.
‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ is set to release in theatres worldwide on November 17, 2023.
Here’s the official description of the film by Lionsgate: “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.”
