Collins' book, a prequel to her previous 'Hunger Games' novels, came 10 years after the author seemingly wrapped up the Dystopian series with 'Mockingjay.' The Associated Press in a review praised the new novel, released May 19, as 'mesmerizing' and called Collins 'a master of building a fascinating world around complex characters.' NPD BookScan, which tracks around 85 percent of the print market, reported Wednesday that 'Songbirds and Snakes' topped last week's list with 270,000 copies sold. The total includes print, e-books and audiobooks, according to Collins' publisher, Scholastic. Suzanne Collins' 'The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' sold more 500,000 copies last week, even as many of the country's bookstores were closed or offering limited service because of the coronavirus pandemic. The movie was announced during Lionsgate’s presentation at Cinemacon, a yearly conference in Las Vegas where movie studios present their upcoming projects to theaters owners.A decade after the 'Hunger Games' series had apparently ended, readers were clearly ready for more. The movie will be written by Catching Fire writer Michael Arndt. The studio did reveal that the movie adaptation will be directed by Francis Lawrence, who also directed Hunger Games: Catching Fire as well as Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 and Part 2. Of course, fans of the series will remember that Katniss also hails from District 12 when she comes along to oppose Snow’s regime over 60 years later in the story.ĭespite its quickly approaching release date, Lionsgate did not announce any of the cast for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The story focuses on Snow’s time with a mysterious and rebellious girl from District 12 named Lucy Gray Baird, whom he mentors through the 10th Hunger Games.

The book serves as a prequel to the story of Katniss Everdeen and follows Coriolanus Snow, the president of Panem during the trilogy, as a young man. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a book written by Suzanne Collins, the author of the original Hunger Games trilogy. The Hunger Games prequel novel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, is getting a movie adaptation next year, Lionsgate announced on Thursday. Panem’s battle royale will soon be back on the big screen.

New mockingjay book