--- title: What to Know About the 'Hunger Games' Prequel description: Suzanne Collins is returning to Panem with a prequel to the 'Hunger Games.' Here's what we know about 'The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.' canonical: https://time.com/5608507/hunger-games-prequel-book/ author: Megan McCluskey article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2019-06-17T22:02:40.000Z article:modified_time: 2023-12-12T22:59:59.000Z article:section: Entertainment og:title: Here's What We Know About 'Hunger Games' Prequel 'The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' og:description: 'The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' will take place during the 'Dark Days' og:url: https://time.com/5608507/hunger-games-prequel-book/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb5fb6f225a3515e3/69886f6a5f570f1109b1e27c/hunger-games-katniss-jennifer-lawrence.jpg?branch=production&width=1000&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1000 og:image:height: 563 og:image:alt: Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games." og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Here's What We Know About 'Hunger Games' Prequel 'The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' twitter:description: 'The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' will take place during the 'Dark Days' twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb5fb6f225a3515e3/69886f6a5f570f1109b1e27c/hunger-games-katniss-jennifer-lawrence.jpg?branch=production&width=1000&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Here's What We Know About the _Hunger Games_ Prequel _The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes_ > Sponsored content. 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Terms and conditions apply. * Savings buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Savings Account. * No ATM fees from Ally Bank at Allpoint and Moneypass ATMs plus we reimburse for fees charged by other ATM owners nationwide up to $10 per statement cycle. * Early direct deposit offers eligible direct deposits up to two days sooner. * Spending buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Spending Account.  by [Megan McCluskey](https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Staff Writer Updated: Dec 12, 2023 10:59 PM UTCPublished: Jun 17, 2019 10:02 PM UTC  Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games." Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games."Lionsgate  by [Megan McCluskey](https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Staff Writer Updated: Dec 12, 2023 10:59 PM UTCPublished: Jun 17, 2019 10:02 PM UTC It’s been more than 10 years since author [Suzanne Collins](http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1984685%5F1984940%5F1985512,00.html) published the first book in the [_Hunger Games_](https://time.com/3598421/real-female-gladiators/)trilogy and kickstarted a global phenomenon that became [one of the most lucrative film franchises of all time](https://www.the-numbers.com/movies/franchises). Now, nearly four years after the release of the fourth and final _Hunger Games_ movie, Collins has announced that she is returning to her fictional world of Panem in a new prequel novel. As one of the first hugely popular dystopian series that have taken the world by storm in the past decade, _The Hunger Games_ has made an undeniable mark on young adult fiction. Here’s what we know about the forthcoming _Hunger Games_ prequel novel. ## What do we know about the plot? The new _Hunger Games_ book will center on the reconstruction period known as the [Dark Days](https://thehungergames.fandom.com/wiki/Dark%5FDays) that took place following the [First Rebellion](https://thehungergames.fandom.com/wiki/First%5FRebellion), the civil war that was fought between the districts and the Capitol 75 years prior to the start of _The Hunger Games_ trilogy. After District 13 abandoned the rest of the districts to secure their own freedom and the forces of the Capitol crushed the rebellion, the [Treaty of Treason](https://thehungergames.fandom.com/wiki/Treaty%5Fof%5FTreason) — which instituted the Hunger Games — was put into effect. “With this book, I wanted to explore the state of nature, who we are, and what we perceive is required for our survival,” [Suzanne Collins said in a statement](http://mediaroom.scholastic.com/press-release/scholastic-publish-new-novel-worldwide-bestselling-hunger-games-series-suzanne-collins). “The reconstruction period 10 years after the war, commonly referred to as the Dark Days — as the country of Panem struggles back to its feet — provides fertile ground for characters to grapple with these questions and thereby define their views of humanity.” The prequel novel will take place 64 years before the start of the trilogy and our introduction to Katniss Everdeen. It will begin on the morning of the reaping of the 10th Hunger Games. ## Why is there controversy surrounding the prequel? > [](https://twitter.com/EW/status/1219766976031154178) The _Hunger Games_ prequel came under fire after an excerpt from the upcoming novel revealed that a young Coriolanus Snow, who grows up to become the tyrannical President of Panem introduced in the original trilogy, will be one of its main characters. Following the reveal of the excerpt, which was published in [_Entertainment Weekly_](https://ew.com/books/2020/01/21/hunger-games-prequel-exclusive-excerpt/?utm%5Fmedium=social&utm%5Fsource=twitter.com&utm%5Fterm=1CF269D4-3CA3-11EA-98A8-D9DC923C408C&utm%5Fcampaign=entertainmentweekly%5Few&utm%5Fcontent=link) on Jan. 21, some fans spoke out against Collins’ apparent decision to rehumanize Snow by giving him a backstory seemingly intended to justify his future actions. The backlash squares with recent criticism surrounding villain origin stories that depict their main characters as victims of circumstance, like last year’s [_Joker_](https://time.com/5684823/joker-movie-controversy/) movie. > [](https://twitter.com/littIew0men/status/1219746464517193730) > [](https://twitter.com/warnersadam/status/1219726980112883721) > [](https://twitter.com/cassiansnesta/status/1219671563680780288) ## What’s the title of the new book?  book blank cover, vector mock up book, isolated mockup book; Shutterstock ID 525094888; Purchase Order: - Scholastic _Good Morning America_ revealed the cover and title of the anticipated prequel on Oct. 4\. Collins’ new novel will be called _The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes_. The book’s cover features an image of a golden mockingjay, evoking Katniss Everdeen’s nickname and the symbol of the rebellion she helped lead. ## Will Katniss and the rest of the original _Hunger Games_ characters be in it?  Liam Hemsworth, left, Sam Clafin, back left, Evan Ross, back right, and Jennifer Lawrence, right, in the film, "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2." Murray Close—Lionsgate/AP Since the new _Hunger Games_ book is set 64 years before the start of the trilogy, it will take place long before the lifetimes of Katniss, Peeta Mellark and the majority of the other _Hunger Games_ characters. However, two familiar faces — [Mags](https://thehungergames.fandom.com/wiki/Mags) and [President Snow](https://thehungergames.fandom.com/wiki/President%5FCoriolanus%5FSnow) — were both alive during this time period and could make appearances. Scholastic spokeswoman Tracy van Straaten declined to comment on the new book’s featured characters beyond what was described in the June 17 press release. ## Will there be a new _Hunger Games_ movie?  Jennifer Lawrence in 'The Hunger Games,' 2012. Lions Gate Although Lionsgate, the studio that released the four _Hunger Games_ movies, has yet to announce that it has obtained the film rights to the prequel novel, it has reportedly been working with Collins throughout the writing process. “As the proud home of the _Hunger Games_ movies, we can hardly wait for Suzanne’s next book to be published. We’ve been communicating with her during the writing process and we look forward to continuing to work closely with her on the movie,” Lionsgate chairman Joe Drake recently told the Associated Press, seeming to indicate that there is in fact a movie in the works. ## When will the _Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes_ be released? 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