In the most recent installment of The Hunger Games franchise, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, the movie delved into the youth of President Coriolanus Snow, who grew up to be Katniss’ ultimate enemy in the main Hunger Games trilogy, however, there is another president character who also deserves a prequel movie. The Hunger Games is a young adult dystopian book series that was first published in 2008 and includes three novels, “The Hunger Games,” “Catching Fire,” and “Mockingjay.” All three books were adapted to film starting in 2012. More recently, “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” was published in 2020 and turned into a movie in 2023.
While President Snow’s story in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is interesting, showing off Coriolanus’ start as an influential figure at the Capitol, he is not the only Hunger Games character that could use a prequel story. In fact, his story may not even be the most interesting. Over the course of three books, Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins introduced a number of interesting characters and events that occurred over decades, and therefore, there is an incredible amount of individuals that could follow in Snow’s footsteps and earn themselves a prequel book and movie.
President Coin Deserved A Prequel Movie More Than President Snow
Though there are many Hunger Games character that could have been better choices for a prequel, one character in particular was a president like Snow, and also, has a more dynamic story: President Coin. President Coin was first introduced in the last Hunger Games book, “Mockingjay,” and appeared in the final two Hunger Games movies. Coin is the president of District 13, which was thought to have been destroyed after the Dark Days, but actually went underground and became the core of the revolution against the Capitol. Though Coin’s cause against Snow is for the greater good, her methods are not always humane, making her an unexpected villain.
President Coin’s story is more interesting than President Snow’s because her morals are more ambiguous. When audiences read or watch The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, they know that they cannot trust Snow and that, in the end, he will be a true villain. Coin’s Hunger Games villain story is not so clear. Although she became a serious problem at the end of the series, Coin presumably did not begin as a villain, and in reality, she was probably something of a war hero when District 13 fell. So, it would be interesting to see Coin’s progression from true good to true evil.
A President Coin Movie Would Tackle More Interesting Topics
Some may argue that Coin’s story and Snow’s story are too similar, however, Coin’s story is more interesting and important. For example, while President Snow became evil due to his need for power and survival, Coin’s source of evil was more complicated. Her story raises many questions about whether the ends justify the means, and whether you must become like your enemy to destroy them. While Snow’s actions were often unquestionably evil, Coin’s had a sense of logic to them, even if they were terrible. In this way, Coin’s story is a much bigger moral question than Snow’s, and in many ways, is relevant to the current day.
Additionally, President Coin’s story would have a unique setting. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes takes place mostly in the Capitol, which is quite interesting, but audiences got to see little of the actual districts besides District 12. If President Coin got her own prequel story, it would undoubtedly see District 13 at its prime, before the Capitol destroyed it, and could even see other Districts depending on where Coin’s story starts. This would be a great opportunity to see beyond the locations that the Hunger Games has always existed in.
The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes Could Spur More Hunger Games Prequels
Overall, there are high hopes that the success of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes movie will spur more Hunger Games prequels. The original Hunger Games trilogy introduced so much interesting lore and history surrounding Panem, and it would be amazing to see where the series’ most beloved and despicable characters came from. New characters are also a welcome plus. President Snow’s story was a big hit among audiences, which means that President Coin’s and many others could be as well. Hopefully, The Hunger Games can live on past its prime in the 2010s.
