The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes star Ashley Liao, who plays Clemensia Dovecote, reveals the book plot point that she wishes had made it into the movie. Based on source material from Suzanne Collins, the latest installment in the popular Hunger Games franchise is directed by Francis Lawrence. The film, which takes place decades before the story of Katniss Everdeen, follows Rachel Zegler’s Lucy Gray Baird during the events of the 10th Hunger Games as she crosses paths with a young Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth).
Following The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes‘ box office success, Liao reveals to ComingSoon.net that she wishes the film had kept the details of Clemensia’s snake bike event from the book. While the book sees the character develop scaly skin and yellow eyes due to the bite, the film more or less implies that she dies, and the actor expresses disappointment that she didn’t get to experience the makeup for this transformation. Check out Liao’s full comment below:
“It made me think about [X-Men’s] Mystique. I was thinking about how long Jennifer Lawrence had to sit in that hair and makeup chair. I’m not envious of it, per se, but I would love to go through it at least once. So maybe in that sense I am, I’m sad it didn’t get to happen. I would’ve loved to get to see it come to life.”
How Faithful Is The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes To The Novel?
Why The Hunger Games Prequel Made Some Changes
Adapting anything from one medium to another will always require omissions and changes, and the latest Hunger Games movie is no exception. Overall, the film is a fairly accurate re-telling of Lucy Gray and Coriolanus Snow’s story as it appears in Collins’ source material, but a number of details are changed throughout to streamline and focus the overall narrative while also ensuring some surprises for those who read the books.
During the reaping ceremony, for example, the book features Lucy being forcibly removed from the stage while attempting to finish her song, while the film sees Lucy end her song prematurely and leave the stage of her own volition. This change was perhaps made to make Lucy seem more powerful and defiant, and similar alterations – those that don’t change the overall narrative – are scattered throughout the movie.
Other changes that the film makes to the book involve the tributes and the titular games. The manner and sequential order of deaths for many of the tributes is different from the book to the film, but both versions of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes end with Lucy as the victor. While it can be challenging to translate events from the page to the screen, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes reviews, particularly those from audiences, have been generally positive, suggesting that the changes didn’t detract from the viewing experience.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a prequel movie set 64 years before the events of the original movie with Katniss Everdeen. The film centers on a young Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) and shows his rise to power as the leader of Panem. Taking place during the 10th Hunger Games, Snow is tasked with mentoring Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), the tribute from District 12.
- Release Date
- November 17, 2023
- Director
- Francis Lawrence
- Cast
- Tom Blyth , Rachel Zegler , Hunter Schafer , Jason Schwartzman , Peter Dinklage , Josh Andrés , Josh Andrés Rivera , Viola Davis
- Runtime
- 157 Minutes
- Writers
- Michael Lesslie , Michael Arndt , Suzanne Collins
- Studio(s)
- Color Force , Lionsgate
- Distributor(s)
- Lionsgate
- Sequel(s)
- The Hunger Games , The Hunger Games: Catching Fire , The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 , The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2
- Franchise(s)
- The Hunger Games
