Here’s what you need to know before watching the Hunger Games prequel

It’s been eight years since the final installment of the “Hunger Games” series, “The Mockingjay – Part 2,” hit theaters. Fans of ‘The Hunger Games’ can rejoice: from November 16, 2023, they can watch the prequel ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ on the big screen.

But what happened again in the four parts of the series that were recorded a few years ago? And what exactly is the new film about?

Watson summarizes what you need to know before you see the prequel in theaters:

The film is set in the future in the state of Panem, which is ruled by a dictator. There are twelve districts and the Capitol, which serves as the seat of government and where people live in abundance. However, in the outer districts, most people suffer from hunger.

The Hunger Games take place in Panem every year. These are organized by the Capitol to demonstrate their power over the citizens in the districts. All residents of Panem are encouraged to watch the Hunger Games live. For the Hunger Games, a boy and a girl are drawn from each district and have to fight each other to the death in an arena. In the end there is only one winner left. Whoever wins can look forward to a life supported by the Capitol and never have to go hungry or work again.

The first film in the series is about the 74th Hunger Games. In the poorest district – District 12 – twelve-year-old Primrose Everdeen is drawn. Her older sister Katniss Everdeen cannot see this and registers. Peeta Mellark is the male tribute with whom Katniss travels to the Capitol to prepare for the Games.

During the preparations, Katniss and Peeta win the audience’s favor when Peeta announces that he is in love with Katniss. They are advised to perpetuate this lie to gain advantage because they depend on the help of sponsors in the arena.

At the start of the games, Katniss and Peeta are separated and seek their own allies. However, during the course of the Hunger Games, a new rule is announced: from now on there must be two winners, as long as they come from the same district. So Katniss and Peeta team up and manage to wipe out everyone else. However, at this time the rule change is being withdrawn.

Instead of fighting each other, Katniss has another idea: a double suicide with poisonous berries. The game makers want to avoid a game without a winner, so the rule change is reinstated and Katniss and Peeta both survive. They emerge victorious, but Katniss’ actions are seen by the Capitol as an act of rebellion.

The second film takes place a few months after the 74th Hunger Games. Katniss is visited by President Snow, who informs her about riots and uprisings against the Capitol and blames her for them.

Snow consults with gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee about what they can do about Katniss and the rebellion. He then sets up a new rule for the 75th Hunger Games: The tribute for the third “anniversary” will be drawn from the previous winners. Katniss and Peeta are running for District 12 again.

In the arena, Katniss, with the help of allies, manages to shoot an arrow with a wire attached to it into the force field above the arena, while lightning strikes the wire. The system then breaks down in the game makers’ control room.

Katniss is taken from the arena in a hovercraft. A little later she hears from gamemaker Heavensbee, among others, that the intention from the beginning was to rescue her from the arena, so that the revolution can be further fueled and the Capitol can be overthrown. The revolution stems from District 13, thought to have been destroyed long ago after an initial Capitol uprising.

Arriving in District 13, Katniss finds her good friend Gale and her family from District 12. District 12 was completely destroyed by the Capitol due to Katniss’ resistance in the arena. Peeta could not be rescued from the arena and was captured by the Capitol.

In District 13, Katniss is asked by President Coin to act as a symbol of the resistance. She agrees to one condition: Peeta must be saved with all the efforts of the district and the president.

As the film progresses, more and more acts of rebellion are shown. During a television appearance by Peeta, who is seen as a traitor in District 12, the rebels manage to interrupt the broadcast with images of Katniss. Peeta also appears to be able to see Katniss and warns District 13: they are under attack from the Capitol. The residents are evacuated to the lower floors just before the neighborhood is actually bombed.

A special team is then sent to the Capitol to rescue Peeta and a few other prisoners. Although Snow gets wind of the action, the commando returns with the prisoners. The Capitol let them escape.

When Katniss meets Peeta, he attacks her and nearly strangles her. Peeta was manipulated through psychological torture in the Capitol into seeing Katniss as a threat.

Katniss wants to fight at the front, but President Coin forbids her to do so. So she smuggles herself into the Capitol in a hovercraft. Coin is indignant, but doesn’t show anything. In addition to a film crew for Katniss, Peeta is also sent to the Capitol, who has to wear handcuffs for security reasons, but can increasingly remember Katniss.

As the group fights through the streets of the Capitol, which are set with deadly traps, Katniss is secretly told that a free election will take place after the Capitol is overthrown. Katniss therefore poses a threat to President Coin.

After several deaths from the traps, Katniss is also presumed dead. Coin then calls on all of Panem to make a revolution. Katniss claims to her group that she has received a secret order from Coin and must kill Snow. That’s why they’re trying to move further into the center of the Capitol. Shortly before Snow’s palace they are surprised by explosions.

Katniss wakes up in an infirmary, where Haymitch explains to her that the Capitol has surrendered and Snow has been captured. During a meeting with the President, Katniss learns from him that he was not responsible for the explosions, but Coin.

Coin proposes to organize symbolic Hunger Games with children from the Capitol as an act of revenge. Katniss decides to do so, but at the same time demands that she be allowed to kill Snow herself. During the public execution, she aims her bow at Coin at the last moment and shoots her instead of Snow.

A final scene of the film shows how Katniss and Peeta started a family years later – a happy ending, at least for both of them.

The new film is not a sequel, but rather a prequel set 64 years before the events of the first part. The prequel is about the early years of the dictatorship of Panem and the Hunger Games that were already taking place.

Just like the films about Katniss Everdeen, the fifth film is based on a novel by Suzanne Collins, which was published in 2020. Lucy Gray Baird from District 12 is drawn for the 10th Hunger Games. She is played by Rachel Zegler, known from the new edition of ‘West Side Story’.

Lucy Gray probably has a few things in common with Katniss Everdeen: she knows a lot about wild herbs and is especially fond of the herb after which Katniss is named. She also has a great singing talent, just like Katniss.

The other main character, on the other hand, is an ‘old’ acquaintance: Coriolanus Snow, the later president of Panem. Historically, he is 18 years old. He is offered to act as a mentor during this year’s Hunger Games, but is only assigned Lucy Gray Baird from the poor District 12. In the trailer we heard what all mentors should strive for: “Your job is to sensationalize these kids – not the survivors.” For this it is important to be on good terms with the tributes.

Snow was already known for his white roses in the other four parts, which didn’t mean anything good in Katniss’ story – there they were associated with Snow’s tyranny. However, in the prequel, he tries to convince Lucy with his charm and gives her a white rose when they first meet.

The young mentor wants to use his work to save the reputation of his family, which is in danger of going bankrupt. That’s why he does everything he can to ensure that Lucy wins the games. But as the film progresses, it becomes clear how he will develop into the future ‘evil’ President Snow.