Lionsgate announced today that the studio has cast Tom Blyth, currently seen starring as the titular character in EPIX’s Billy the Kid, as the young Coriolanus Snow in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
The movie is an adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ #1 New York Times bestseller (See on Amazon). The announcement was made today by Erin Westerman, president of Production at Lionsgate Motion Picture Group.
The studio recently announced that moviegoers will return to The Hunger Games, the landmark film franchise that has earned over $3 billion globally, with the adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ #1 New York Times bestseller The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, in theaters November 17, 2023.
Years before he would become the tyrannical President of Panem, 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow is the last hope for his fading lineage, a once-proud family that has fallen from grace in a post-war Capitol.
With the 10th annual Hunger Games fast approaching, the young Snow is alarmed when he is assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird, the girl tribute from impoverished District 12. But, after Lucy Gray commands all of Panem’s attention by defiantly singing during the reaping ceremony, Snow thinks he might be able to turn the odds in their favor.
Uniting their instincts for showmanship and newfound political savvy, Snow and Lucy’s race against time to survive will ultimately reveal who is a songbird and who is a snake.
“Tom Blyth is an explosive rising talent whose mesmerizing and charismatic presence makes him an exciting actor and perfect for this leading role,” said Westerman.
“Coriolanus Snow is many things – a survivor, a loyal friend, a cutthroat, a kid quick to fall in love, and a young man ambitious to his core,” said director Francis Lawrence. “Tom’s take on the character showed us all the complex ambiguities of this young man as he transforms into the tyrant he would become.”
“Tom’s performance will both fulfill and disrupt everything you think you know about Coriolanus Snow. He’s a tremendous talent who will show why Snow always lands on top,” said producer Nina Jacobson.
The film will be directed by Francis Lawrence, who previously directed the franchise’s Catching Fire, Mockingjay Part One, and Mockingjay Part Two.
The movie will be shepherded by franchise producer Nina Jacobson and her producing partner Brad Simpson, along with Francis Lawrence. Suzanne Collins and Tim Palen will serve as executive producers.
The latest draft of the screenplay is by Michael Lesslie (Macbeth, Assassin’s Creed). Lesslie builds on the work of writers Suzanne Collins and Michael Arndt (the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Little Miss Sunshine, as well as serving as one of the writers of Catching Fire).
Tom Blyth is currently starring as the titular character in EPIX’s Billy the Kid. He also appeared in HBO’s The Gilded Age and Terence Davies’s Benediction.
Blyth’s career began in local theater, film, and television in the UK before beginning his studies at The Juilliard School. He is represented by Gersh, United Agents in the UK, MJ Management, and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills in 2018 to cover the latest news on streaming, movies, TV, and video games.