The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
64 years before he becomes the tyrannical president of Panem, Coriolanus Snow sees a chance for a change in fortunes when he mentors Lucy Gray Baird, the female tribute from District 12.
Despite a significant budget of $100.0M, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes became a financial success, earning $337.4M worldwide—a 237% return.
7 wins & 29 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023) reveals meticulously timed narrative design, characteristic of Francis Lawrence's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours and 37 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.7, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 2 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Young Coriolanus Snow wakes in his decaying Capitol penthouse, hiding his family's poverty behind a façade of privilege. He prepares for the reaping day that will determine his future as a mentor in the 10th Hunger Games.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 19 minutes when Coriolanus is assigned Lucy Gray Baird, the girl from District 12 who defiantly sang at her reaping and appears to have no chance of survival. His hopes for the Prize and future seem destroyed.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 39 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to Coriolanus smuggles food to Lucy Gray and publicly presents her as a star performer on the eve of the Games. He actively chooses to invest himself fully in her survival, crossing ethical lines and risking his standing to save her., moving from reaction to action.
At 79 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Significantly, this crucial beat Lucy Gray wins the Hunger Games by poisoning her final opponent. Coriolanus appears to have achieved everything: his tribute won, the Prize is his, and his future is secure. But the victory is immediately complicated by questions about his cheating., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 117 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Sejanus is hanged for treason, directly caused by Coriolanus's secret recording. Coriolanus has betrayed his only friend to save himself and secure advancement. The moral death of his better nature occurs as he watches Sejanus die., reveals the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 124 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 79% of the runtime. Lucy Gray discovers the recording device and realizes Coriolanus betrayed Sejanus. She flees into the woods. Coriolanus understands she knows the truth, and in a moment of paranoid clarity, he chooses power over love, hunting her with murderous intent., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs a 15-point narrative structure framework that maps key story moments. By mapping The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes against these established plot points, we can identify how Francis Lawrence utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes within the science fiction genre.
Francis Lawrence's Structural Approach
Among the 7 Francis Lawrence films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.0, reflecting strong command of classical structure. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Francis Lawrence filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional science fiction films include Lake Placid, The Postman and Oblivion. For more Francis Lawrence analyses, see The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2, Constantine and Water for Elephants.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Young Coriolanus Snow wakes in his decaying Capitol penthouse, hiding his family's poverty behind a façade of privilege. He prepares for the reaping day that will determine his future as a mentor in the 10th Hunger Games.
Theme
Dean Highbottom cynically tells the mentors: "Your role is to turn these children into spectacles, not survivors." The theme of entertainment versus humanity, control versus compassion, is established.
Worldbuilding
Introduction to post-war Panem: the Capitol's fragile recovery, the 10th Hunger Games as propaganda tool, Coriolanus's precarious social position, his need for the Plinth Prize to afford university, and the mentor assignments. The world's class divisions and Snow's ambition are established.
Disruption
Coriolanus is assigned Lucy Gray Baird, the girl from District 12 who defiantly sang at her reaping and appears to have no chance of survival. His hopes for the Prize and future seem destroyed.
Resistance
Coriolanus debates how to help Lucy Gray. He breaks protocol by meeting her at the train station and visiting her in the zoo enclosure. Tigris advises him to get people to care about Lucy Gray. He begins to see her as a person, not just a tribute, and decides to fight for her survival.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Coriolanus smuggles food to Lucy Gray and publicly presents her as a star performer on the eve of the Games. He actively chooses to invest himself fully in her survival, crossing ethical lines and risking his standing to save her.
Mirror World
Lucy Gray thanks Coriolanus through the bars, and they share a moment of genuine connection. She represents everything he's been taught to despise—district, poor, rebellious—yet she awakens his capacity for empathy and authentic feeling beyond ambition.
Premise
The Hunger Games begin. Coriolanus uses every advantage—sending gifts, coaching Lucy Gray, exploiting the sponsor system he helps create. Lucy Gray uses her performance skills and cunning to survive. Their partnership drives the narrative tension as she navigates the arena and he navigates Capitol politics.
Midpoint
Lucy Gray wins the Hunger Games by poisoning her final opponent. Coriolanus appears to have achieved everything: his tribute won, the Prize is his, and his future is secure. But the victory is immediately complicated by questions about his cheating.
Opposition
Dean Highbottom reveals he knows Coriolanus cheated. Rather than execution, Coriolanus is offered Peacekeeping service. He's sent to District 12, where he reunites with Lucy Gray. Their romance blooms, but he's torn between a simple life with her and his Capitol ambitions. Sejanus's rebel sympathies create danger.
Collapse
Sejanus is hanged for treason, directly caused by Coriolanus's secret recording. Coriolanus has betrayed his only friend to save himself and secure advancement. The moral death of his better nature occurs as he watches Sejanus die.
Crisis
Coriolanus is promoted to officer for his betrayal but is internally shattered. He plans to escape north with Lucy Gray, wavering between freedom with her and returning to Capitol power. The moral darkness settles as he processes what he's become.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Lucy Gray discovers the recording device and realizes Coriolanus betrayed Sejanus. She flees into the woods. Coriolanus understands she knows the truth, and in a moment of paranoid clarity, he chooses power over love, hunting her with murderous intent.
Synthesis
Coriolanus hunts Lucy Gray in the woods but she escapes. He destroys all evidence linking him to her and the rebellion. He returns to the Capitol, fully embracing his ambition and ruthlessness. He poisons Dean Highbottom and begins his ascent to power, having rejected compassion entirely.
Transformation
Coriolanus Snow, now a University student and protégé of Dr. Gaul, stands in the Capitol in a pristine white suit, cold and calculating. The boy who could have chosen love and humanity has fully transformed into the tyrant we know from the original trilogy.