Latest news with #TheBalladOfSongbirdsAndSnakes
Perth Now
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Ralph Fiennes cast as President Snow in Hunger Games prequel
Ralph Fiennes has been cast as President Coriolanus Snow in 'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping'. In the upcoming prequel, based on the books by Suzanne Collins, the 62-year-old actor will play the villainous character, previously portrayed by Donald Sutherland in the original series and Tom Blyth in the 2023 film 'The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes'. Producer Nina Jacobson said in a statement: 'We wanted to honour Donald Sutherland by having one of this generation's greatest actors play President Snow 24 years before Katniss Everdeen entered the arena. 'Working with Ralph has been on my bucket list since he traumatised me for life in 'Schindler's List'. It's genuinely a thrill to welcome him to the Hunger Games.' Recently, Maya Hawke recently joined the cast as Wiress, the former 'Hunger Games' champion who now serves as a mentor for those in District 12. News of Maya's casting came weeks after it was confirmed Mckenna Grace, 18, had landed the highly-sought after role of District 12 Tribute Maysilee Donner. Joseph Zada will lead the cast as Haymitch Abernathy, with Whitney Peak set to portray his girlfriend, Lenore Dove Baird. In addition, Jesse Plemons has been cast as Plutarch Heavensbee, and Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Beetee. 'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping' will be an adaptation of Collins' 2025 novel of the same name, and is the second instalment in the writer's 'Hunger Games' prequel trilogy. The story is set in the world of Panem 24 years before the first 'Hunger Games' book, and follows Haymitch Abernathy, who is selected as a tribute for the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell. 'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping' is to be directed by Francis Lawrence, who will be working from a screen adaptation written by Billy Ray.
South China Morning Post
21-03-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Hunger Games prequel novel Sunrise On The Reaping hailed as ‘heart-wrenching' and lyrical
The latest book in The Hunger Games series has been described as a 'heart-wrenching' addition to the franchise by critics. Advertisement Sunrise On The Reaping, the hotly anticipated fifth book in the series, is a prequel set more than two decades before the original dystopian trilogy, which was made into popular films starring US actress Jennifer Lawrence It is the first published by American author Suzanne Collins since the prequel The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes in 2020. The new novel follows a young Haymitch Abernathy, one of the few Hunger Games victors from the same area, District 12, as Katniss Everdeen, who was played by Lawrence. Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen in a still from The Hunger Games. Photo: Lionsgate Haymitch, played by Zombieland actor Woody Harrelson in the films, is first introduced to readers in the original trilogy as an alcoholic mentor to protagonists Katniss and Peeta Mellark before they are sent off to fight to the death in a televised arena.
South China Morning Post
21-03-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Hunger Games prequel Sunrise On The Reaping hailed as ‘heart-wrenching' and lyrical
The latest book in The Hunger Games series has been described as a 'heart-wrenching' addition to the franchise by critics. Advertisement Sunrise On The Reaping, the hotly anticipated fifth book in the series, is a prequel set more than two decades before the original dystopian trilogy, which was made into popular films starring US actress Jennifer Lawrence It is the first published by American author Suzanne Collins since the prequel The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes in 2020. The new novel follows a young Haymitch Abernathy, one of the few Hunger Games victors from the same area, District 12, as Katniss Everdeen, who was played by Lawrence. Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen in a still from The Hunger Games. Photo: Lionsgate Haymitch, played by Zombieland actor Woody Harrelson in the films, is first introduced to readers in the original trilogy as an alcoholic mentor to protagonists Katniss and Peeta Mellark before they are sent off to fight to the death in a televised arena.
The Independent
18-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
New Hunger Games book is ‘heart-wrenching' addition to the series, critics say
The latest book in The Hunger Games series has been described as a 'heart-wrenching' addition to the franchise by critics. Sunrise On The Reaping, the hotly anticipated fifth book in the series, is a prequel set more than two decades before the original dystopian trilogy, which was made into the popular films starring Jennifer Lawrence. It is the first published by American author Suzanne Collins since the prequel The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes was put out in 2020. The new novel follows a young Haymitch Abernathy, one of the few Hunger Games winners from the same area, District 12, as Katniss Everdeen, who was played by Lawrence. Haymitch, played by Zombieland actor Woody Harrelson, is first introduced to readers in the original trilogy as the alcoholic mentor to tributes Katniss and Peeta Mellark before they are sent off to fight to the death in a televised arena. The prequel sees District 12 victor Haymitch drawn to fight in the 50th annual Hunger Games, a violent entertainment set up to control and maintain control in the fictional country of Panem. Reviewers have applauded the author's ability to bring the world of Panem back nearly two decades after the first volume was published in 2008. The Guardian's Philip Womack said: 'Collins is an excellent writer, and there are moments of surprising lyricism, which help to leaven the grimness. 'The books' success partly lay in Collins's skilful refashioning of an ancient story, the myth of the Minotaur, which she placed in a futuristic world, giving agency to the weak to overthrow the powerful.' Jennifer Harlan, from The New York Times, said it 'is a propulsive, heart-wrenching addition to The Hunger Games, adding welcome texture to the cruel world of Panem'. 'In expanding Haymitch's story, Collins paints a shrewd portrait of the machinery of propaganda and how authoritarianism takes root,' she added. Meanwhile NPR's Dhanika Pineda praised the author for continuing not to be subtle 'with her commentary on propaganda and censorship', saying the latest book is 'no exception'. The first Hunger Games was turned into a blockbuster franchise, also starring Bridge To Terabithia's Josh Hutcherson, who played Peeta. The first prequel follows the life of a young President Coriolanus Snow, the antagonist in the series, who was played by Canadian actor Donald Sutherland, who died aged 88 in 2024. Collins said that it was 'a relief' to take on Haymitch's voice and character after having to write from Coriolanus's perspective. 'He has a much greater capacity for hope and love and joy. More than Coriolanus – or Katniss, for that matter,' she added. 'Sadly, at the end of the book you see his concentrated effort to strip all that away, so by the time you reach the trilogy, his language has lost the musicality of his youth. 'A combination of his desperation to forget combined with years of Capitol TV erase it. I like to think in his remaining years after the war, he reclaims it. You can hear it coming back in the epilogue.' Collins had seemingly ended the series after the 2010 publication of Mockingjay, writing in 2015 that it was 'time to move on to other lands', before returning with The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes, set 64 years before the first book. The sequel was also adapted to the big screen and starred English actor Tom Blyth as Snow alongside Snow White actress Rachel Zegler as a tribute from District 12. It was announced in the summer that Sunrise On The Reaping will be adapted into a film, with a release set for November 2026.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New Hunger Games book is ‘heart-wrenching' addition to the series, critics say
The latest book in The Hunger Games series has been described as a 'heart-wrenching' addition to the franchise by critics. Sunrise On The Reaping, the hotly anticipated fifth book in the series, is a prequel set more than two decades before the original dystopian trilogy, which was made into the popular films starring Jennifer Lawrence. It is the first published by American author Suzanne Collins since the prequel The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes was put out in 2020. The new novel follows a young Haymitch Abernathy, one of the few Hunger Games winners from the same area, District 12, as Katniss Everdeen, who was played by Lawrence. Haymitch, played by Zombieland actor Woody Harrelson, is first introduced to readers in the original trilogy as the alcoholic mentor to tributes Katniss and Peeta Mellark before they are sent off to fight to the death in a televised arena. The prequel sees District 12 victor Haymitch drawn to fight in the 50th annual Hunger Games, a violent entertainment set up to control and maintain control in the fictional country of Panem. Reviewers have applauded the author's ability to bring the world of Panem back nearly two decades after the first volume was published in 2008. The Guardian's Philip Womack said: 'Collins is an excellent writer, and there are moments of surprising lyricism, which help to leaven the grimness. 'The books' success partly lay in Collins's skilful refashioning of an ancient story, the myth of the Minotaur, which she placed in a futuristic world, giving agency to the weak to overthrow the powerful.' Jennifer Harlan, from The New York Times, said it 'is a propulsive, heart-wrenching addition to The Hunger Games, adding welcome texture to the cruel world of Panem'. 'In expanding Haymitch's story, Collins paints a shrewd portrait of the machinery of propaganda and how authoritarianism takes root,' she added. Meanwhile NPR's Dhanika Pineda praised the author for continuing not to be subtle 'with her commentary on propaganda and censorship', saying the latest book is 'no exception'. The first Hunger Games was turned into a blockbuster franchise, also starring Bridge To Terabithia's Josh Hutcherson, who played Peeta. The first prequel follows the life of a young President Coriolanus Snow, the antagonist in the series, who was played by Canadian actor Donald Sutherland, who died aged 88 in 2024. Collins said that it was 'a relief' to take on Haymitch's voice and character after having to write from Coriolanus's perspective. 'He has a much greater capacity for hope and love and joy. More than Coriolanus – or Katniss, for that matter,' she added. 'Sadly, at the end of the book you see his concentrated effort to strip all that away, so by the time you reach the trilogy, his language has lost the musicality of his youth. 'A combination of his desperation to forget combined with years of Capitol TV erase it. I like to think in his remaining years after the war, he reclaims it. You can hear it coming back in the epilogue.' Collins had seemingly ended the series after the 2010 publication of Mockingjay, writing in 2015 that it was 'time to move on to other lands', before returning with The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes, set 64 years before the first book. The sequel was also adapted to the big screen and starred English actor Tom Blyth as Snow alongside Snow White actress Rachel Zegler as a tribute from District 12. It was announced in the summer that Sunrise On The Reaping will be adapted into a film, with a release set for November 2026.
