Rachel Zegler has shared an update about Lucy Gray’s future after The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes, and it likely spells bad news for those hopes of her returning for a sequel. The first Hunger Games prequel spinoff movie shifted the franchise’s focus to a young Corionalus Snow, but it also introduced District 12’s female tribute during the 10th Hunger Games, Lucy Gray Baird. The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes cast Rachel Zegler in the role, and her performance in the movie was widely praised, signaling her potential prominent presence if the franchise continued with a sequel.
Even though The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes‘ ending left questions about Lucy Gray’s fate, the natural assumption has always been that Rachel Zegler could still reprise her role in a sequel. However, the actress has begun to indicate that this is not in the plans. Zegler reflected on her time as Lucy Gray following another award show appearance on behalf of the Hunger Games prequel’s nominations and wins. It was in the pots that the actress cast doubt on her playing Lucy Gray again, casting doubt on the status of The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes 2.
Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes Sequel: Is It Happening? Everything We Know
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes explores the world of Panem before Katniss Everdeen but will there be a sequel to the prequel?
What Zegler’s Hunger Games Goodbye Means For The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes 2
Rachel Zegler saying goodbye to Lucy Gray and her time in Hunger Games gives the franchise two ways to move forward with The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes 2. The first option is that a sequel to The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes 2 is happening, but there are no plans for Lucy to be included. This would mean the franchise is electing to leave what happened to Lucy Gray in The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes as a major lingering question. The film could ultimately confirm if she survived or died without Zegler returning, but that would not be the most effective method.
The other and potentially more disappointing option is that The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes 2 is not going to happen. Lionsgate never confirmed that a sequel would come, with those involved indicating it would only happen if Suzanne Collins wrote a book to base it on. After The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes set franchise-low Rotten Tomatoes scores and box office totals, there would be some rationale behind the decision not to move forward with a sequel if one was ever thought of as a possibility.
Hunger Games Movies Box Office Totals | |
|---|---|
Movie | Box Office Total |
The Hunger Games | $695.2 Million |
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire | $865 Million |
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 | $759.2 Million |
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 | $661.5 Million |
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes | $337.1 Million |
Lucy Gray Isn’t Necessary For The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes 2 To Happen
The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes 2 would certainly feel more like a proper sequel with Lucy Gray’s return and a continuation of her story, but sadly, she is not necessary for a sequel to happen. The ambiguity about her fate gave the franchise a window to leave her out. Without definitively confirming that she is alive or even teasing her interest in revealing Snow’s dark secrets, it is much easier for the sequel to happen and not include Lucy. It would even be a chance to integrate the book development where Snow erases all records of Lucy winning.
The only way this changes is if author Suzanne Collins makes it so. There is no book version of The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes 2 already written, nor is Lucy Gray’s life after the first book known. This might be great for theorizing, but it also means that there is no definitive knowledge about her future. While a sequel could still happen without Lucy Gray, that would only happen with Suzanne Collins’ approval. So, if the author wants Rachel Zegler’s character to be part of the next Hunger Games movie, then the franchise won’t be done with the actress.
Rachel Zegler Not Returning As Lucy Gray Would Be Bad For Songbirds & Snakes 2
It is not officially confirmed that Rachel Zegler will not play Lucy Gray again in a future Hunger Games movie, but that does appear to be her understanding at this point. This would indicate that if there are plans for The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes 2, they currently do not include her. This is a troubling sign for the movie if that is the case. Zegler was one of the best parts of the prequel movie, perfectly embodying the free-spirited singer from District 12. It helped cement her status as one of Hollywood’s rising stars too.
That is why it was believed that any continuation of The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes‘ story would be done with Lucy Gray’s role in mind. She is essentially the co-lead of the prequel and someone that most audiences adored. This should easily position Zegler’s involvement as an essential part of making The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes 2. If that is not the case, then the franchise is making a risky decision. It indicates that the potential sequel would further break away from the young adult and love story genres, all while losing one of the main cast members.
Lucy Gray’s Lacking Movie Future Hurts Her The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes Fate
The idea that Rachel Zegler might not return for future movies also hurts the franchise’s bigger story, as questions about whether Snow killed Lucy or if she survived will persist. The prequel movie brought the book’s ambiguous ending to life and left audiences with a massive question about whether Lucy is alive or dead. This mystery has already lasted nearly four years thanks to the book and Suzanne Collins not writing a sequel novel that provides an answer. That is why it was thought that The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes 2 would confirm Lucy’s fate.
The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes 2 Would Require Answering A 4-Year-Old Hunger Games Mystery
If The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes 2 ever happens, it would have to answer a Hunger Games mystery that has haunted the franchise for 4 years.
Rachel Zegler not having a future with Hunger Games could make it more likely that it is revealed that Lucy died after Snow shot her. This would be an opportunity to explain her absence if a sequel does move forward. However, that would be a disappointing resolution after all these years. It also makes the decision not to definitively confirm Lucy’s fate in The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes more confusing. If the franchise is not going to bring her back, wrapping up her story with some finality would’ve eliminated several questions.
How The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes 2 Can Still Happen (Even Without Lucy Gray)
Rachel Zegler not returning as Lucy Gray again does not definitively mean that The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes 2 cannot happen. For as important of a character as she was to the first movie, Coriolanus Snow is still definitively the main character of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. The franchise could elect to move forward with a sequel to the prequel by keeping the focus on Panem’s future president. This could happen as The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes 2 shifts the focus away from Snow and Lucy’s relationship and onto him gaining more power.
Instead of a sequel further exploring the fallout of the 10th Hunger Games and Lucy Gray’s fate, the next Hunger Games movie could be based around the 11th Hunger Games or another iteration further in the future. This would allow The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes 2 to potentially tell the origin of Mags and other known characters. Adding in these familiar elements might be enough to help audiences forget about the film not including Lucy Gray. It also allows the movie to ignore Zegler’s character on the off-chance that her return is plotted for a different installment.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
- Director
- Francis Lawrence
- Release Date
- November 17, 2023
- Cast
- Tom Blyth , Rachel Zegler , Hunter Schafer , Jason Schwartzman , Peter Dinklage , Josh Andrés , Josh Andrés Rivera , Viola Davis
- Writers
- Michael Lesslie , Michael Arndt , Suzanne Collins
- Runtime
- 157 Minutes
