As announced by the production company Lionsgate through its social networks, the star of “West Side Story”, Rachel Zegler, will play Lucy Gray Baird, the main role in the prequel to “The Hunger Games”.
“The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” is the title of the film scheduled for release on 17 November by 2023.
Rachel will appear alongside ‘Billy The Kid’ star Tom Blyth, who will play young Coriolanus Snow .
The The story takes place many years before the events of the existing films, when Snow, who becomes Panem’s tyrannical president, is still a teenager.
The film is being adapted from the book of the same name by Suzanne Collins by 2020, which takes place decades before the adventures of Katniss Everdeen, who is brought to life by Jennifer Lawrence.
Lucy Gray, from the impoverished District 12, is chosen for the gladiatorial games and is assigned to Coriolanus as his mentor. She draws Panem’s attention when she sings defiantly during the harvest ceremony, which Coriolanus hopes to use to win favor, Deadline said of the film’s description.
The film will once again be directed by the veteran filmmaker responsible for “The Hunger Games”, Francis Lawrence, who stated that Zegler was chosen, among other reasons, for her vocal abilities necessary to embody Gray Baird.2023
“When you read Suzanne’s book, Lucy Gray’s emotional intelligence, physical agility, and fiercely powerful and determined singing voice shine through. Rachel embodies all of those skills – she is the perfect choice for our Lucy Gray,” she said in a statement.
Donald Sutherland played the overbearing President Snow in the first four films, which followed the story of a brutal annual affair in which two teenage tributes from each of the 12 Districts of Panem are randomly chosen to fight to the death in a televised survival challenge.