The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes 2 Quietly Just Became More Likely After $337 Million Success

Updates on the future of the Hunger Games franchise have come following The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, and it suddenly looks like a sequel could be in the cards after all. 2023 brought the first Hunger Games prequel movie to theaters, adapting Suzanne Collins’ novel about a young Coriolanus Snow and his District 12 mentee/love interest Lucy Gray Baird. It was expected that The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes could be the start of a new trilogy or, at the very least, open doors for other Hunger Games movies to be made assuming it was successful.

The lack of updates on The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes‘ sequel has been noticeable, especially with non-committal statements from those involved about whether they will return for another movie. There has been a constant narrative that Lionsgate and longtime franchise director Francis Lawrence will not make more movies without Suzanne Collins’ blessing or using new books as the source material. Since there are no new Hunger Games books confirmed, that seemingly limited the future of the movie franchise, even after The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes‘ box office made $337 million worldwide.

Lionsgate Has Plans For More Hunger Games Movies After Songbirds & Snakes

The Studio Teased Its Desire To Expand The Franchise

The status of the Hunger Games movie franchise received a big boost during Lionsgate’s presentation at CinemaCon 2024. The studio boasted about its successful lineup of 2023 releases, particularly when it came to continuing and expanding known franchises. The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes was used as an example of the type of successful sequels/prequels the studio wants to continue to make. Along with John Wick, Lionsgate positioned Hunger Games as a franchise it has plans to expand. This comes as the prequel movie was the franchise’s lowest-grossing entry but also still profitable thanks to a smaller budget.

No details came from Lionsgate’s presentation about how exactly the Hunger Games franchise will continue. This means that The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes 2 is not officially in development, nor is Hunger Games 5 with Jennifer Lawrence or some other prequel, sequel, or spinoff idea. However, Lionsgate’s desires are quite clear, especially based on the fan demand for more movies based in this world and to learn if Lucy Gray died in The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes‘ ending. The biggest question this leaves the franchise is how Lionsgate will find a way to make more Hunger Games movies.

The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes 2 Is The Easiest Way To Continue Hunger Games

Another Prequel Can Build On Songbirds & Snakes’ Success

Lionsgate’s desire for more Hunger Games movies and noting The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes as a success are both points in favor of the studio making The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes 2. The lack of a sequel novel by Suzanne Collins is the biggest stumbling block for the sequel at this point. However, the movie sequel could still happen as long as the Hunger Games author helps craft the screenplay. It would allow the franchise to naturally build on the storylines and characters introduced in Songbirds & Snakes while saving Jennifer Lawrence’s return for another day.

Doing The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes 2 is also easier for Lionsgate than trying to figure out an entirely new path for the franchise to take. Audiences responded favorably to Snow’s prequel story, and it would be fascinating to see him continue down his villainous path. The sequel would also be able to bring Lucy Gray back or confirm her death, and some source material for the 11th Hunger Games does exist already. Plus, if The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes was a success, Lionsgate overlooking a chance to continue the story would not make sense.