The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes has just dropped on Netflix, and fans are already calling it the ‘best film in the franchise’.
It’s proving so popular, in fact, that following its Netflix debut this week, it’s climbed into the top 10.
Released in November 2023, the action/adventure movie is based on the 2020 novel of the same name, serving as a prequel to 2012’s hugely successful The Hunger Games, which starred Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson.
Set decades before the iconic Mockingjay era, this dark and dazzling prequel tells the origin story of a young Coriolanus Snow—the man who would later become Panem’s most feared president.
Long before he wore white suits and ordered rebel bombings, Snow was just another ambitious teenager clawing his way out of poverty and into power.
He’s played by Tom Blyth with an unnerving mix of charm, desperation, and icy control, making the fall from grace feel both inevitable and hard to watch.
Opposite him is Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird, a District 12 tribute with a voice that hypnotises and a will to survive that rivals Katniss’, though she’s anything but a carbon copy.
Lucy Gray is no rebel, and Zegler cleverly brings her to life with her electric performance.
From her haunting ballads to her quiet tricks, she commands every scene she’s in—and fans can’t stop talking about her.
‘I like how they made another strong female character without having to resort to Katniss’ clone who fights good,’ @nogoodpho wrote on Reddit.
Add in a show-stopping performance from Jason Schwartzman as Lucky Flickerman and Viola Davis as the terrifying Dr. Gaul, and you’ve got a film that’s part dystopia, part musical, and 100% watch-worthy.
When it hit cinemas in late 2023, Songbirds and Snakes received mixed reviews—some critics loved its ambition, while others were put off by its slow burn and darker tone.
It did, however, gross $349million (£255.6m) off its $100m (£73.2m) budget.
And now that it’s streaming, audiences are giving it—and its 64% Rotten Tomatoes score—a second look, and this time, they’re hooked.
Social media is buzzing with praise, fan theories, and ‘I told you so’ posts from people who always believed the prequel would be a game-changer.
@nolanpflan wrote: ‘In my opinion this hands down the best movie in the Hunger Games franchise.’
‘I was gripped the entire runtime and never felt an ounce of boredom. I just wish they went the extra mile and went a full three hours for the sake of the last act, but I’m still very pleased.I truly think this is leagues above the other four Hunger Games films,’ @tacomasters added.
Another viewer, @karpaensi, praised the release: ‘You know it’s a good movie when it haunts you. I watched it and I’ve been thinking about it all day.’
And they’re not wrong.
Unlike the later films in the original series, which leaned heavily into politics and revolution, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes—which features the song Can’t Catch Me Now from Glastonbury headliner Olivia Rodrigo—keeps the focus on the arena and the twisted beginnings of the spectacle we came to know.
It’s brutal, raw, and unflinching in its depiction of how easily human suffering can be turned into entertainment—and how fast a desperate boy can become a monster.
Director Francis Lawrence, who helmed Catching Fire (2013) and both Mockingjay (part 1 in 2013 and part 2 in 2015) films, returns with a sharper eye, creating a world that’s more grimy than glossy—and all the better for it.
This is Panem at its most fragile and dangerous, and the Capitol isn’t the polished powerhouse we’re used to—it’s the definition of chaos, and it is just starting to realise how powerful fear can be.
Without giving too much away, it pulls the rug out from under you, then pulls it once again, just when you think you’re back on your feet.
Everyone has a different theory, and that’s all part of the magic.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is streaming now on Netflix.
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