Director Francis Lawrence has agreed to return ot the Hunger Games franchise for a prequel film being produced by Lionsgate, per Variety. Lawrence directed three previous films in the series – Catching Fire and MockingJay Pt. 1 and 2.
Plans for the film and its accompanying novel were previously announced .
The prequel, titled The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, is based on author Susan Collins’ prequel novel of the same name. Collins will serve as executive producer, and provide a treatment for the screenplay.
The story is set 64 years before the original franchise’s setting and follows a young President Snow on his rise to become a dictator.
The novel arrives May 19, while no release date for the film has been set.
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