WATCH: ‘The Hunger Games’ prequel drops first look teaser

Image: screengrab from Twitter/@TheHungerGames

“The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” the prequel film to the hit movie series “The Hunger Games,” has finally released its official first-look teaser, and it is quite golden.

The teaser did not show actual footage from the film, since it is still in production. Instead, it features a snow-covered snake slithering next to an icy bird. Both animals eventually shedded the snow to reveal their golden bodies, as seen on the official Twitter account for The Hunger Games film franchise yesterday, June 6.

“You’re invited to return in 2023. The world will discover who is a songbird and who is a snake,” it stated.

Preparations have begun. In 2023, return to the Games… pic.twitter.com/6n6YAaqCBb

— The Hunger Games (@TheHungerGames) June 5, 2022

The events in “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” take place decades before the events of the original “The Hunger Games” movies, which started at the 74th Hunger Games.

It follows the story of 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow who was chosen to be the mentor of District 12’s female tribute Lucy Gray Baird during the 10th Hunger Games. As fans of the franchise know, the young Coriolanus Snow will eventually grow up to be the tyrannical President Snow in the original films.

“The Gilded Age” actor Tom Blyth will play Coriolanus Snow, while “West Side Story” star Rachel Zegler will play Lucy Gray Baird.

“The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” is set to be released on Nov. 17, 2023. “The Hunger Games” veteran Francis Lawrence will be directing the prequel and “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” scriptwriter Michael Arndt will be returning to write the screenplay.

The first four dystopian films starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth were based on novels by Suzanne Collins. They collectively earned $3 billion (around P159 billion) globally.

Production company Lionsgate announced its plans to make another “Hunger Games” film in May 2020, about a month before Collins released the novel “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.”  /ra

RELATED STORIES:

‘Hunger Games’ prequel ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ set for release in 2023

Jennifer Lawrence gives birth to first child—reports