Every few years a YA movie property hits theaters, and becomes a sensation in the process. There’s Harry Potter, Twilight, and of course Jennifer Lawrence’s Hunger Games movies. Fans were thrilled to learn that they’d be returning to Panem with a prequel movie, and now we know when it’s probably filming-- thanks to one studio exec.
The lore of The Hunger Games will be expanded with an upcoming prequel movie, which will focus on a younger President Snow growing up in Panem. Moviegoers have been eager for any information about the developing project, and Lionsgate motion group chairman Joe Drake recently revealed that they’re hoping to get the Hunger Games prequel filming in the first half of 2022
This news comes to us from Deadline, after Joe Drake presented at Lionsgate’s quarterly earnings call. It looks like the Hunger Games prequel is in active development, and is hoping to film early 2022. What’s more, Drake also revealed that the studio is hoping the mysterious project hits theaters late 2023 or early 2024. Cue the Mockingjay whistle.
While it’s still going to be a number of years before the Hunger Games franchise will be back on the big screen, it’s certainly exciting to hear that the pre-production phase of the prequel movie is moving along so swimmingly. Now we’ll just have to wait and see the cast and crew that are ultimately assembled to bring the project to life.
As previously mentioned, the developing Hunger Games prequel will focus on Coriolanus Snow, who would go on to become the tyrannical leader of Panem in Katniss’ adventures on the page and screen. He’ll reportedly be just 18 years old in the project, with the Snow family not doing so well in Panem. Snow is expected to mentor a tribute from District 12 throughout the course of the movie, which will no doubt inform his cruel feelings towards Katniss’ home.
This seems like a fascinating way to deepen the lore of the Hunger Games franchise. Snow was a fascinating and terrifying presence throughout the course of the books and movies franchise. The latter was due to the outstanding performance by the great Donald Sutherland. We’ll just have to see which young actor plays Snow in the prequel.
If the Hunger Games prequel is a box office hit, it would be a great opportunity to kickstart a new franchise around the fictional world of Panem. Harry Potter managed to do just that with the Fantastic Beasts franchise, which is keeping the Wizarding World at the forefront of moviegoers' minds. And with production possibly beginning early 2022, those brutal games might be returning to the big screen sooner rather than later.
Obviously there’s no concrete release date for the developing Hunger Games movie, but it certainly seems that things are moving forward at Lionsgate. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
