#Michael Lesslie

[thosesadsuburbanghosts]

The Hunger Games: the Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023)

"We're Live. Smile! It's why we have teeth."

[fionapplespiano]

So...how do we feel about the writer announcement for the MCU X-Men reboot?

[stuff-diary]

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes

Movies watched in 2024

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023, USA)

Director: Francis Lawrence

Writers: Michael Lesslie & Michael Arndt (based on the novel by Suzanne Collins)

Mini-review:

I can't believe I waited so long to watch this one, considering The Hunger Games was such a big part of my life and I loved this prequel book. And after finally watching it, I'm so happy with the result. It does a great job as an adaptation, although some of Corilanus' complexity gets lost in translation without the book's internal narration. But most importantly, it's a pretty damn good movie in its own right. It sends a strong message that feels as important as ever in our current political and social landscape, and it does that without ever getting boring. It certainly helps that all the members of this incredible cast give striking performances. On top of that, the soundtrack is entirely unforgettable, with Rachel Zegler serving some serious vocals, as expected. The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes proves this franchise has enough fuel to keep going for a long time, and I'm already excited to read/watch the next prequel.

[genevieveetguy]

. Nothing you can take from me was ever worth keeping.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, Francis Lawrence (2023)

[floorman3]

The Hunger Games: A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Review- The Dichotomy Of The Have And Have Nots Is Very Evident Once Again

The Hunger Games is a series of films that starred Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen.  It’s a young adult book series based on the dystopian future by Suzanne Collins. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is the prequel to those stories and films. It’s the story of Coriolanus Snow, previously played by Donald Southerland in The Hunger Games films.  Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) has just lost his…

[adamwatchesmovies]

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023)

With 2015's Mockingjay – Part 2 the Hunger Games, the story was decidedly over (barring a preposterous Rise of Skywalker-style resurrection or a Forever Purge-like resurgence of the titular games). The only way to keep the franchise going was with a prequel. The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes focuses on the storyline's "villain behind it all", Coriolanus Snow, when he was young and making his way to the top. If a prequel had to be made, this is the way you go. Unfortunately, the characters way back when turn out to be much less interesting than they were when we first met them and the same goes for the Games.

Eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) is determined to get his once-wealthy family out of poverty. When Casca Highbottom (Peter Dinklage) assigns Coriolanus to mentor Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), the District 12 female tribute to the annual Hunger Games, he thinks he’s positioned his student to lose the coveted Plinth Prize scholarship. Instead, Coriolanus displays a type of sympathy that’s uncommon to the people of Panem and his champion becomes a favorite among Panem's people. With the scholarship now within range, will Coriolanus’ sympathy hold up?

While the premise is intriguing, there’s an inherent problem with it. When we met Snow, he was cold, calculating and charismatic, but in a “I love to hate this guy and want to see what’s coming next” kind of way. This younger Snow is sympathetic and innocent. When loss-of-innocence storylines work, it's because a part of you hopes for a happy ending where the protagonist doesn't completely fall from grace. It isn’t a spoiler to tell you that by the time “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes ends, Coriolanus is a murderer with no desire to abolish the Hunger Games who only wants to consolidate more power. You know there's no hope and you’re waiting for the movie to catch up. Making that wait feel even longer is Coriolanus's transformation. It takes a long time, until the final act when the change is so abrupt you feel like you missed a scene.

Another flaw with the film are the titular Hunger Games. Katniss volunteered to participate in the 74th annual Hunger Games. Here, we're getting the 10th. In that gap, there have been some significant changes. Part of what makes winning the Plinth Prize scholarship difficult is that people have gotten bored of the gladiatorial bloodbath. You can see why. The arena is just an empty circle with weapons in the center. Even when the battlefield gets an impromptu facelift, it only allows the children to run and hide so the conflict can last even longer. It's nothing like the arenas we saw before, with varied landscapes and threats ranging from venomous insects to monstrous beasts, poisonous rolling mists and more.

Most disappointing about the picture is that you often see what it could've been. Tom Blyth is great, as is Rachel Zegler. There's a doomed bond that forms between them and it grabs your attention. As Snow becomes increasingly sinister, you wonder what will happen to the people he's allowed close, including his classmates and Lucy. It's a shame the film spends so much of its running time following Snow before he becomes corrupt. If the 157 minutes had leaned more towards the darker chapters of his story, we'd have a real winner.

The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is well made, the performances are solid and it has a great concept but the execution is disappointing. For what it does well, I won't say that it feels like an attempt to wring more blood from a stone but this prequel does not feel essential. When you're saying that about the fifth entry in a series, it means you can only recommend it to the most fervent fans, the kind who care more about getting more than anything else. (Theatrical version on the big screen, December 7, 2023)

[milliondollarbaby87]

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023) Review

We follow a young Coriolanus Snow during the 10th Hunger Games when he has to mentor the female District 12 tribute, Lucy Gray Baird who he develops feelings for and risks everything. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Continue reading The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023) Review

[wevegotbackissues-blog]

Marvel Pick A Writer For Their 'X-Men' Film

Marvel Studios has selected Michael Lesslie to write the MCU’s first X-Men film. Lesslie wrote the recent The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes and is currently working on Now You See Me 3. The film is still a long way off with Lesslie being the only talent attached at the moment apart from Marvel boss Kevin Feige. With Disney cutting back on their Marvel output, the project is at…

[buffyfan145]

Marvel's just hired a writer for their MCU "X-Men" movie!!! 😀 They've hired Michael Lesslie who wrote "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes". Deadline's reporting no casting or director attached yet as far as they know. Looking forward to this as I've been waiting years for the X-Men to finally be in the MCU.

[bob-the-movie-man-film-reviews]

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (15): Entertainment in the Arena; Boredom thereafter.

#onemannsmovies #filmreview of "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes". #TheHungerGames. As long as its title, a good film that outstayed its welcome. 3/5.

A One Mann’s Movies review of “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” (2023). I must admit that after seeing the original Hunger Games film in 2012, and some of the knock off follow-ons like “Divergent” and “The Maze Runner”, I rather lost interest in this genre and never got to watch any of the three Jennifer Lawrence sequels. But that really doesn’t matter much here since this…

[geekpopnews]

Pré-venda de ingressos de “Jogos Vorazes" começa

A espera acabou! A pré-venda de “Jogos Vorazes: A Cantiga dos Pássaros e das Serpentes” começou. Prepare-se para a história do jovem Presidente Snow. Chegando à Cinépolis em 15 de novembro. #JogosVorazes #CantigaDosPássarosEDasSerpentes #PréVenda

A tão aguardada pré-venda do filme “Jogos Vorazes: A Cantiga dos Pássaros e das Serpentes” começou. Inspirado no livro homônimo lançado em 2020 pela Editora Rocco, o filme é dirigido por Francis Lawrence, responsável pelos últimos três longas da série. Este spin-off retrata a história do Presidente Snow, interpretado por Tom Blyth, ainda jovem. O elenco inclui nomes como Rachel Zegler (“Amor,…

[geekcavepodcast]

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes Trailer 2

Young Coriolanus, last hope for the Snow family lineage in the post-war Capitol, is reluctantly assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird, the tribute from District 12. “But after Lucy Gray’s charm captivates the audience of Panem, Snow sees an opportunity to shift their fates. With everything he has worked for hanging in the balance, Snow unites with Lucy Gray to turn the odds in their favor. Battling his instincts for both good and evil, Snow sets out on a race against time to survive and reveal if he will ultimately become a songbird or a snake.” (Lionsgate)

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes stars Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Peter Dinklage, Hunter Schafer, Josh Andrés Rivera, Jason Schwartzman, and Viola Davis. Francis Lawrence directs from a screenplay by Michael Lesslie and Michael Arndt. The film is based on the novel by Suzanne Collins.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes releases to theaters on November 17, 2023.

[framesperfilm]

Now You See Me: Now You Don't (2025)

directed by: Ruben Fleischer (USA)

written by:  Seth Grahame-Smith, Michael Lesslie, Paul Wernick Rhett Reese; story by Eric Warren Singer based on the characters of Boaz Yakin, Edward Ricourt

release date: November 14, 2025 (USA)

They’ve finally made it the title. The Horsemen are back, and the stakes are higher than ever. This time, they face off against a global crime organization while dealing with their issues. Joining their new magic trick are three ambitious aspiring magicians, eager to prove themselves on the world stage.

[artist-issues]

Snow’s more likeable in the movie. And you know what I think it is?

Coriolanus’ actions are clearly self-serving in the book, where you can hear his thoughts. But in the movie, you can’t hear his thoughts. So you, the audience, get manipulated by the Snow Charm.

I feel like since we’re in Coriolanus’ head for the entire book, it’s kind of easy (or it was for me) to be like, “why does Lucy Gray love him at all?” He so obviously is doing everything for his own interests, even the things that are beneficial to her.

But then that’s the thing. Lucy Gray’s not in his head. And she’s fresh, I mean fresh, off of Billy Taupe, family-lover, stabbing her in the back and stomping on her heart and getting her shipped off to die a nightmarish death. So she’s in this place of unbelievable hurt and vulnerability, not just because of her circumstances, but because of what one guy did to the heart he should’ve been protecting.

And then in waltzes a blonde-and-blue hero who is not only willing to treat her like a human being and help her survive, but also?? He’s starving too?? He can relate to her? He can understand her? And believe in her? And protect her at great personal risk?

At least. That’s all she knows is happening, because she doesn’t know his life or his circumstances. She can’t see the inside of his brain, or everything he stands to lose if he loses her. So to her, all of his actions after their meeting are just the right medicine for her recently-crippled heart.

“pure as the driven snow” is not just a clever play on words from a good songwriter. Lucy Gray genuinely admires him for being that. He fed her, got to know her, washed her mother’s dress, gave her his mother’s compact, stood up for her against the Capitol’s prejudices against non-Capitol citizens, believed in her, lost everything for her, and came to find her.

From inside his head, we know he did a lot of that because he had no choice, or because he stood to gain something. But from outside his head, Coriolanus Snow looks like he’s loving Lucy Gray out of the purity of his heart. He looks like he’s everything Lucy Gray needs.

(I also think that Tom Blyth played him with, and Mitchell Lesslie/Michael Arndt, wrote Movie Snow to have a little more genuine attachment to Lucy Gray and vulnerability than the Book Snow had, and Rachel Zegler played Movie Lucy Gray/the writers wrote Movie Lucy Gray to be less broken, and less wholeheartedly-believing in Snow than Book Lucy Gray was for most of the story. But that’s beside my current point.)

[denmark-street]

We hear that Succession writer Francesca Gardiner is now among the finalists to score the job of adapting JK Rowling’s books for the Max streaming platform. It’s understood that Gardiner is now one of three writers currently being considered to lead Harry and his pals on the small screen.

Gardiner has emerged after Deadline revealed last month that there were four other writers in contention: Martha Hillier, Kathleen Jordan, Tom Moran and Michael Lesslie. It’s not clear which of these writers are still involved.

Gardiner was a consulting producer on Seasons 3 and 4 of HBO’s Succession. Before working on the Jesse Armstrong creation, she was an exec producer of HBO and BBC fantasy co-production His Dark Materials and was a co-exec producer of AMC’s Killing Eve. She has also written on shows including Starz’s The Rook and Amazon’s The Man In The High Castle.

A decision is expected soon. Max and Warner Bros. Television declined to comment.

[brokehorrorfan]

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes will be released on Digital on January 30 before hitting 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on February 13 via Lionsgate. Walmart will carry an exclusive Steelbook 4K UHD with art by Tracie Ching for $29.96.

Based on Suzanne Collins' 2020 novel, the 2023 prequel to The Hunger Games stars Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Peter Dinklage, Jason Schwartzman, Hunter Schafer, Josh Andrés Rivera, and Viola Davis.

Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Parts 1 & 2) and written by Michael Lesslie (Assassin's Creed) and Michael Arndt (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire).

The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is presented in 4K with Dolby Vision/HDR and Dolby Atmos audio. Special features are listed below, where you can also see the full Steelbook art.

Audio commentary by director Francis Lawrence and producer Nina Jacobson

Predator or Prey: Making The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes - 8-part documentary

"The Hanging Tree" by Rachel Zegler

A Letter to the Fans

Theatrical trailers

Set 64 years before Katniss Everdeen volunteered as tribute, and decades before Coriolanus Snow became the tyrannical President of Panem, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes follows a young Coriolanus (Tom Blyth) as he unites with Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler) in the 10th Hunger Games and battles his instincts for both good and evil.

Pre-order The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.