Summary

The Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, secures a SAG interim agreement for its publicity campaign. Set 64 years before the original series, the film follows a young Coriolanus Snow as he mentors a tribute for the tenth Hunger Games. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, directed by Francis Lawrence, features stars such as Rachel Zegler and will be released on November 17.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will receive a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement for its publicity campaign. Set 64 years before the events of the first The Hunger Games entry, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes tells the story of a young Coriolanus Snow—later known as President Snow—as he trains District 12 tribute Lucy Gray Baird for the tenth Hunger Games. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is directed by Francis Lawrence and stars Rachel Zegler, Tom Blyth and Viola Davis. It is set for release on November 17.

In advance of its release, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes earns a SAG interim agreement. As reported by Variety, this deal will allow The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes to promote their film with its stars. Specifically, Zegler, Blyth, Davis, and Peter Dinklage have all been granted permission to promote the film in advance of its November 17 release date.

How The SAG-AFTRA Strike Might Actually Help The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

While The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is one of more than 100 films granted publicity-related interim agreements, it is by far the highest-profile film to receive this allowance. Other exceptions have been made for films like Priscilla and Ferrari on the basis that their producers operated independently of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), even if the actors are SAG-AFTRA members. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was produced by Lionsgate, who is not a part of the AMPTP, allowing them to land this interim agreement.

While this interim agreement will undoubtedly help the film, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes already had an interesting relationship with the strikes. Warner Bros. expected hit, Dune: Part Two, was originally supposed to release in the same month as The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, before being delayed due to the strikes. Being The Hunger Games prequel’s primary competition this fall, Dune: Part Two’s strike delay will likely help out The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

Compounded by the interim agreement news, it becomes clear that The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will not only escape the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes unscathed, but might be aided by them. After all, copious other films releasing in this fall window will not reap the same promotion benefit as The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will. This publicity opportunity and the Dune: Part Two delay give The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes a leg up on their competition this fall, hopefully propelling the film to box office success.

Source: Variety

Key Release Dates The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes