Lucy Gray Returning In The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes 2 Would Be A Mistake, Despite How Great Rachel Zegler Is

Given the success of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, it’s only a matter of time before Lionsgate greenlights a sequel, but the movie shouldn’t feature the return of Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird (no matter how great the actress is). The 2023 dystopian action film, directed by Francis Lawrence, is based on Suzanne Collins’ 2020 book of the same name and tells the villain origin story of Coriolanus Snow, better known as President Snow in the original Hunger Games trilogy. The adaptation chronicles 18-year-old Snow’s rise to power, which begins when he meets Lucy Gray.

The 2023 movie revolves around the 10th Hunger Games, and Snow’s assignment to mentor Lucy Gray, the female tribute from District 12. The two form an unlikely bond, and Snow helps Lucy Gray win. However, when the two meet again in District 12, their romance takes a turn for the worse, as Snow favors power over his relationship with Lucy Gray (and his “friend,” Sejanus Plinth). During The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes‘ ending, Snow hunts Lucy Gray in the woods as she tries to run from him, but Lucy Gray’s fate remains a mystery.

Why Rachel Zegler Is Great As Lucy Gray Baird In The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes

Rachel Zegler’s performance as Lucy Gray Baird was undoubtedly one of the highlights of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Of course, Zegler has proven herself to be a phenomenal actress over the course of her short career (she is only 22 years old, after all), so her great work in the Hunger Games prequel was to be expected. Nevertheless, many praised Zegler for embracing the complex role of Lucy Gray and expertly bringing the character to life on the big screen (even though The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes made some changes to the book’s story).

Tom Blyth was also outstanding as Coriolanus Snow in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, but Zegler stole the show. It was immediately clear why the producers chose Zegler to play Lucy Gray, as she skillfully exuded the character’s wit, bravery, stage presence, and charm. Despite the actress’s performance in the 2023 dystopian action film, her character’s ending proves why Zegler shouldn’t reprise her role as Lucy Gray in a Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes sequel.

Lucy Gray’s Ending Is More Powerful Being Kept Open-Ended

Although it can sometimes be frustrating when stories or character fates are left open-ended, Lucy Gray Baird’s unknown ending is one of the movie’s (and book’s) appeals. For starters, it has led to various fan theories explaining Lucy Gray’s fate after The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes — it’s always fun to conjure theories regarding films, television shows, books, and other forms of media. Plus, Lucy Gray’s ambiguous fate is one of the most powerful character endings that Suzanne Collins has ever written, and Rachel Zegler reprising her role as the victor in a sequel would diminish that.

Many are eager to know what happened to Lucy Gray that day in the woods, whether Snow killed her, she escaped and made it to District 13, or something else. So, while Zegler returning to the Hunger Games series would satisfy some, it would also be driven by fan service and be a disservice to Lucy Gray. The open-ended fate fits Lucy Gray perfectly and is a breath of fresh air in a franchise dominated by overexplained, concrete character endings. Although Zegler has expressed her desire to return to The Hunger Games, it would be better if Lucy Gray’s fate is left ambiguous.

The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes 2 Would Struggle To Satisfyingly Bring Back Lucy Gray

Given the canon of the Hunger Games franchise, it would be difficult to find a way to bring back Lucy Gray Baird in a Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes sequel that would satisfy the audience. The writers would have to be careful to avoid plot holes since the original trilogy only briefly mentions a District 12 victor before Haymitch Abernathy won the Second Quarter Quell. If she survived Snow’s attack in the woods, Lucy Gray couldn’t return to District 12, seeing that the future president of Panem would then know she was alive. Ultimately, only one explanation for Rachel Zegler’s return makes sense.

The only logical way that Zegler could reprise her role as Lucy Gray in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes 2 would be if she appeared in a dream, or as a hallucination haunting Snow. Consequently, Lucy Gray’s fate would remain ambiguous, and fans would see Zegler step into the character’s shoes one more time. The only downside would be that Zegler likely wouldn’t have a significant role in the hypothetical sequel, but the Hunger Games franchise must prioritize Lucy Gray’s open-ended fate.

Lucy Gray’s Hunger Games Return May Be Inevitable

Despite the reasoning behind why Rachel Zegler should not reprise her role as Lucy Gray Baird in a possible Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes sequel, her return may be unavoidable. The character is evidently very popular, and, as mentioned above, Zegler’s performance as Lucy Gray was one of the best parts of the 2023 dystopian action film, which grossed over $338 million at the box office. More Hunger Games stories are inevitable at this point, and if Zegler wants to play Lucy Gray again and producers are open to the idea, it is going to happen.

However, while Suzanne Collins is undoubtedly writing (or planning to write) her next Hunger Games novel, it may not revolve around Snow or Lucy Gray. Many speculate that other characters’ origin stories, like Finnick Odair, Haymitch Abernathy, or Johanna Mason, are in the works. As a result, it probably wouldn’t make sense for Zegler to reprise her role as Lucy Gray in one of these prequels since her character seemingly had nothing to do with their stories. Ultimately, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes 2 may not be the best way to continue the franchise, despite Zegler’s performance and the first film’s success.