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Hunger Games Prequel: Casting Every Main Songbirds & Snakes Character

Now that the Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, is being made into a movie, longtime viewers of the franchise are wondering who might be cast as the main characters. The prequel novel, published in 2020, follows Coriolanus Snow (future president of Panem) through the tumultuous events of his teen years. Even before the novel was published, Lionsgate had announced that director Francis Lawrence, who helmed the three of the first four films based on The Hunger Games, would return to direct the prequel for the studio, with author Suzanne Collins serving as producer. While no casting announcements have yet been made, readers of the series likely have many thoughts on who they believe should play the pivotal roles in the story that takes place 64 years before a mockingjay named Katniss was named tribute.

The Hunger Games became a worldwide phenomenon thanks to Suzanne Collins’s unique take on a dystopian future for America, spanning three books that were translated into four feature films, along with the prequel novel. However, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, unlike the original trilogy, centers on the residents of the Capitol, rather than the Districts, making the prequel much more difficult to engage empathetic readers (and likely viewers as well). Collins does a good job of balancing her tale – making the future villain of Katniss Everdeen an interesting, if not likable, character – without undoing the masterful character creation of the wholly detestable President Snow of The Hunger Games. As Snow gets to know more about the Districts of Panem, the future of his character becomes clearer.

When the first installment of The Hunger Games film tetralogy was being cast in the early 2010s, its lead actors were relative unknowns. However, the film franchise catapulted Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth to stardom, and Jennifer Lawrence to superstardom, with the Oscar-winning starlet quickly becoming one of the highest-paid and well-regarded women in film. It is possible that whichever young actors are cast in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which has been scheduled for release in 2023, will reap the same astronomical rewards for their roles in the blockbuster franchise’s latest installment. Here are a few great choices for the filmmakers to cast as the main and supporting characters in the prequel to The Hunger Games.

Zackary Arthur or Finn Wolfhard as Coriolanus Snow

Coriolanus Snow – “Coryo” to his friends – is part of one of the historically most prominent families in the Capitol. Unfortunately, all the Snow money was tied up in District 13’s factories, and the family fortune went up in smoke when District 13 did. Ten years later, his only hope of attending university rests on his ability to mentor a tribute well enough to win a scholarship. But Coryo isn’t a down-on-his-luck hero; he will grow up to become the sadistic President Snow. Though Coriolanus proves to be the central character of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, he remains a deeply unlikeable character, making his casting crucial to the success of the film.

There are two great contenders to play Coriolanus Snow. The first is 15-year-old Zackary Arthur, best known for his roles in The 5th Wave and SyFy’s Chucky, an adaptation of the Child’s Play films, in which he has the starring role of Jake Wheeler. Arthur is fairly unknown, and slightly younger than the 18-year-old Coryo. However, he has already gained acclaim playing morally gray, emotionally complex characters, which could give his casting as Coryo the boost he needs into mainstream consciousness. Determining whether Arthur is the right choice for Coryo may depend on the supporting casting, as the character does need to seem like a contemporary of many of the other characters.

The second, more mainstream option for casting Coriolanus Snow is Stranger Things actor, Finn Wolfhard. At 19, Wolfhard has already starred in major blockbusters, including the 2017 adaptation of Stephen King’s It and the sequel, It: Chapter Two, as well as Ghostbusters: Afterlife. His work on both Stranger Things and It have made it clear that Wolfhard has the acting chops necessary to play Coriolanus. However, it is unclear whether his schedule would allow the casting, especially with the short timetable until release for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

Mckenna Grace as Lucy Gray Baird

The character Lucy Gray Baird is Songbirds and Snakes‘ version of Katniss Everdeen, if Katniss didn’t know how to hunt or fight and was charismatic instead of sullen. A member of a traveling singing group called The Covey that is forced to settle in District 12 after the rebellion, Lucy Gray believes that she was chosen as tribute to appease her romantic rival. However, her luck seems to change when she’s paired with a mentor from the Capitol, a boy named Coriolanus Snow, who helps her in The Hunger Games. Lucy Gray, who is about sixteen during the events of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, appears wholesome and jovial, with folksy turns of phrase and a haunting singing voice that wins her fame during the games, but she is made of sturdier stuff than she first appears.

Up and coming actress and singer Mckenna Grace is a perfect casting choice to play Lucy Gray without making her Katniss 2.0. The star of Fuller House and Ghostbusters: Afterlife has also starred in more complex roles, such as that of child-bride Esther Keyes in The Handmaid’s Tale and as a murderous child in 2018’s The Bad Seed and its upcoming made-for-television sequel, The Bad Seed Returns. As a singer, Grace has released three singles, including “Haunted House,” which was featured in the credits for Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Grace has the talent, as well as the look, to bring Lucy to life without making her too cutesy. She could easily give the character the sharp, hidden edges she needs to take on Coryo and the Hunger Games.

Noah Jupe as Sejanus Plinth

Sejanus Plinth may live in the Capitol, but he doesn’t belong there. Born and raised in Hunger Games‘ District 2, the young man finds himself torn between doing what he knows is right and protecting himself and his family’s precarious position in the Capitol. The actor that comes to mind for this interesting and complicated character is Noah Jupe, best known for his role as Marcus Abbott in A Quiet Place and its sequel. However, the acting skills needed to play Sejanus are most on display in his more character-driven roles of Jack Will in Wonder and young Otis Lort in Honey Boy. The British actor, who is about 17, has the confidence and easygoing nature that Sejanus Plinth needs to bring to The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

Sadie Sink as Tigris

Viewers and readers alike may remember Hunger Games‘ Tigris, a designer that Katniss and company encounter as they storm the Capitol in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2. What wasn’t then known about the minor character, a woman who has had elaborate surgical procedures and tattooing done to give herself feline features, is that she is the cousin of Coriolanus Snow. The two are raised almost as siblings by their grandmother, and Tigris is portrayed as sympathetic, giving, and hard-working throughout The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. This character has a fun part to play in the prequel, given the fact that so little is known about Tigris beyond her bizarre appearance in the future. One young actress who could easily play the role is Sadie Sink, best known for her role as Max on Stranger Things. Given her previous work in serious films like The Glass Castle, her star turn as Ziggy on Fear Street, and her Broadway experience, the 20-year-old Sink has the range presence to bring the enigmatic Tigris to life, while already having proved that she can work well with possible Coryo, Finn Wolfhard.

Rhea Perlman as Dr. Volumnia Gaul

Panem has Dr. Volumnia Gaul to thank for the Hunger Games, none of which could have happened without the unethical scientist and her twisted views about controlling the population through fear. Though the Games were not Dr. Gaul’s idea, she was the driving force behind all of the innovations made, including creating mutts to keep the tributes in check. During the events of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, she and Coryo work together and against one another to create bigger drama and higher stakes, leading to unforeseen consequences. Described as an elderly woman, short and stooped, with wild, frizzy hair, Dr. Gaul is vindictive, brilliant, a little wacky, and completely without remorse as evidenced by the Hunger Games prequel’s new mutts. Rhea Perlman, the veteran actress known for her role on Cheers and Taxi, as well as starring in films like Matilda, would give Gaul the perfect blend of kooky-mad scientist and cold-blooded killer that the doctor requires.

Owen Teague as Billy Taupe Clade

Billy Taupe Clade was a member of the Covey who was romantically involved with Lucy Gray before also beginning an affair with Mayfair Lipp, the daughter of District 12’s mayor. While he’s not the main villain in the prequel, his betrayals and poor decisions lead to disaster. Casting an actor to play Billy Taupe in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes requires someone who can be endearing as a member of the close-knit Covey, who has some musical skill, and has the ability to turn on a dime from friend to foe. Twenty-three-year-old Owen Teague, known for portraying Harold Lauder in the 2020 adaptation of The Stand and Patrick Hockstetter in the most recent adaptation of Stephen King’s It, has the right blend of charm and smarm. He also plays multiple instruments, including the violin and mandolin, making him the perfect addition to the Covey.

Andy Serkis as Casca Highbottom

Casca Highbottom is Dean of the Academy and the nemesis of young Coriolanus Snow, whose father betrayed Casca in their youth. The actor who plays this small role needs to embrace the absurdity of the Capitol, much as Stanley Tucci did in The Hunger Games tetralogy, but with a more villainous edge. Enter a man behind performances so varied that less than half are human, actor Andy Serkis. Known for his work in The Batman and Black Panther, along with his motion-capture performances in countless award-winning films such as the Lord of the Rings franchise, Serkis has a vast range of emotional depth, and embraces the ridiculous with ease, making him the perfect Capitol leader.

Maggie Smith as Grandma’am

Grandma’am – Coryo and Tigris’s grandmother and guardian – is the out-of-touch matriarch of the Snow family, seemingly unaware of how far her family has fallen. Described as both grand and doddering, Grandma’am reminds viewers and readers alike of the expectations for Coriolanus as he tries to regain his place in the Capitol. There’s no one better to cast a judgmental eye than the grandest of Dames, Maggie Smith, who has played the Dowager Countess of Grantham on Downton Abbey for the last 12 years. Smith, who has earned The Triple Crown of Acting (an Oscar, an Emmy, and a Tony), seems like she would relish the role of a slightly enfeebled socialite in the post-rebellion Capitol of Panem, and the film great could bring a bit of levity to a harsh family in hard times.

Zendaya as Barb Azure Baird and Chloe Coleman as Maude Ivory Baird

The Covey is more than just a singing group that Lucy Gray Baird belongs to. The group is also her family – both blood and found – and the six young people work hard to take care of one another, practicing to perfect their shows in order to earn their keep. While Lucy is the unofficial leader of the Covey, thanks in part to her being the lead singer, the protective heart of the group is Barb Azure Baird, Lucy’s older cousin. The youngest of the group in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Maude Ivory, is another Baird cousin. She brings energy to the Covey, along with a sense of curiosity. The actresses best suited to these roles are Zendaya, fresh off her turn as MJ in Spiderman: No Way Home, and 13-year-old Chloe Coleman, next in Avatar 2: The Way of Water. Both bring a presence to the screen that belies their age, and both have excellent singing voices that would shine within the Covey.

 Austin Abrams as Tam Amber and Billy Jenkins as Clerk Carmine Clade

The final two members of the Covey represent the displaced children of the rebellion even more than the other members of the Covey. Tam Amber was found as a baby, abandoned at the side of the road, and though he is a jovial and generous member of the family, he is also labeled a “lost soul” by the others. Actor Austin Abrams (Marc on This is Us) has the skills to portray the complicated Tam Amber, who is known to be a builder and fixer for the troupe, along with their mandolin player. Abrams, who has also appeared as Ethan on Euphoria, has shown the vulnerability and range to give this smaller role the impact it deserves. Clerk Carmine is Billy Taupe’s younger brother, and when Billy Taupe is asked to leave the Covey, Clerk has to choose between his brother and the rest of his family. The character, who his said to be about 12 years old in the book, would be a great fit for British actor Billy Jenkins who appeared as Squirrel in Cursed and as Charles Shelby in Peaky Blinders‘ season 6 cast. He is also headlining the BBC’s Dodger, and seems poised to make the leap onto the big screen in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.