After The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes reignited The Hunger Games film franchise, I’ve been thrilled at the prospect of a sequel, but recent news puts a wrench in my dreams. As the first Hunger Games spinoff, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes was my most highly anticipated release of 2023. Released ten years after Mockingjay and five years after The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, it hinted that the beloved franchise could make a full-fledged return. However, even with a $337 million box office, my hopes for The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’ sequel may be misplaced.

After The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes premiered, I believed that this film could kick off an entirely new segment of The Hunger Games franchise. Considering how The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes ends, with Lucy Gray’s disappearance and Snow’s rise to power, the sequel would have much to explore. Coriolanus’ descent into evil, his effect on the Capitol, and of course, more Hunger Games would be crucial. However, a recent update from Suzanne Collins suggests that a Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes sequel is off the table in favor of another Hunger Games project.

The New Hunger Games Movie Makes The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes 2 Less Likely

Haymitch Will Take Over Songbirds & Snakes’ Spotlight

With the news of Sunrise on the Reaping book and a movie adaptation, the chances of The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes 2 happening are slim. The new book will follow a younger version of The Hunger Games’ Haymitch as he participates in the Second Quarter Quell, 24 years before Katniss’ Games. The book is already set for release on March 15, 2025, while the movie adaptation premieres on November 20, 2026. With such a solid plan already in place, I don’t see how The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes 2 could be snuck into the timeline.

Unfortunately, it seems to me that Sunrise on the Reaping will take all the attention from The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, but it’s for a good reason. Audiences have already seen Lucy Gray and Coriolanus’ story on the page and the big screen. Meanwhile, Haymitch’s story has been a decade in the making. The Hunger Games books provided many hints about Haymitch’s time as a tribute, and now, viewers will finally get to see it go down. I believe the anticipation alone will force The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes 2 into the back of audiences’ minds.

Why The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes 2 Should Still Happen

Lucy Gray Has A Compelling Story Left To Tell

Despite Sunrise on the Reaping, I think The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes 2 should still happen. Viewers can guess how Coriolanus will become the villain seen in The Hunger Games, but Lucy Gray’s story cuts off without a preamble. There are no answers about what happened to Lucy Gray, and this is a shame. Because she’s such a unique and powerful character, I think her story needs to be continued in a sequel. Lucy Gray’s fate could be unlike anything The Hunger Games has seen before, and that is why The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes sequel must happen.