(CNN) — “Every saga has a beginning.”
That’s part of the message in the newly released trailer for “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.”
The prequel for the “Hunger Games” franchise tells the story of Lucy Gray Baird, played by “West Side Story” star Rachel Zelger, and a teenage Coriolanus Snow, played by Tom Blyth.
The latter character goes on to become the villainous President Snow, who was played by Donald Sutherland in the first films.
Things get dark quickly in the trailer as Lucy and young Snow try to survive the deadly games.
“With his livelihood threatened, Snow is reluctantly assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), a tribute from the impoverished District 12. But after Lucy Gray’s charm captivates the audience of Panem, Snow sees an opportunity to shift their fates,” according to the film’s synopsis. “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.”
The star-studded cast includes Peter Dinklage as the Hunger Games creator Casca Highbottom and Viola Davis as head game maker Volumnia Gaul.
Based on the book series by Suzanne Collins, the “Hunger Games” franchise has been extremely popular with the first film helping to launch Jennifer Lawrence’s stardom.
The new film hits theaters on November 17.
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