Rachel Zegler Sings 'Hanging Tree' in Extended Sneak Peek at “Hunger Games” Origin Story: Watch (Exclusive)

Benjamin VanHoose
·2 min read
Rachel Zegler Sings 'Hanging Tree' in Extended Sneak Peek at “Hunger Games” Origin Story: Watch (Exclusive)
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'The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes' is in theaters Nov. 17.

The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is expanding the world and history of The Hunger Games.

In an extended first look at the new film shared exclusively with PEOPLE — featuring new footage plus star Rachel Zegler's rendition of "The Hanging Tree" — director Francis Lawrence explains how the origin story shows a young Coriolanus Snow being "groomed to become the man he becomes."

Tom Blyth stars as Snow, who was portrayed by Donald Sutherland in the previous Hunger Games films. Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes takes place in Panem 64 years before we meet Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) in the first film.

Zegler is Lucy Gray Baird, a tribute from District 12 with a talent for singing who is paired with Snow as her mentor for the 10th annual Games.

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<p>Murray Close/Courtesy of Lionsgate</p> Rachel Zegler and Tom Blyth in "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes"

Murray Close/Courtesy of Lionsgate

Rachel Zegler and Tom Blyth in "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes"

Related: 'The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' : Everything to Know About 'The Hunger Games' Prequel

Producer Nina Jacobson says in the clip, "Snow's never met anybody like her [Lucy Gray]. That romance between them makes Snow question everything he was raised to believe."

The clip also showcases Zegler's performance of "The Hanging Tree," a song Lawrence sang in 2014's The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 that made its way to the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It's just one of several songs West Side Story alum Zegler sings in the new film.

<p>Murray Close/Courtesy of Lionsgate</p> Tom Blyth and Viola Davis in "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes"

Murray Close/Courtesy of Lionsgate

Tom Blyth and Viola Davis in "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes"

Composer James Newton Howard says, "'Hanging Tree' is back in a completely different iteration and treatment." Adds director Francis, "Here, we get to see Lucy Gray coming up with it for the first time."

Dave Cobb is the executive music producer on the film, which features tunes inspired by British Isles music and Southern music, mashed together for the dystopian setting.

The star-studded cast of Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, which is based on Suzanne Collins's 2020 novel, also includes Peter Dinklage, Hunter Schafer, Josh Andrés Rivera, Jason Schwartzman and Viola Davis.

<p>Courtesy of Lionsgate</p>

Courtesy of Lionsgate

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is in theaters Nov. 17. Rachel Zegler's "The Hanging Tree" single is available Friday.

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