The movie is being adapted from Suzanne
Collins' 2020 book of the same name, which takes place decades before Katniss
Everdeen's — played by Jennifer Lawrence in the movie tetralogy — adventures in
The Hunger Games.
Schafer joins Tom Blyth, and West Side
Story stars Rachel Zegler and Josh Andrés Rivera in the prequel.
On Tuesday, Nick Benson, Laurel Marsden,
Lilly Cooper, Luna Steeples and Hiroki Berrecloth were reportedly added to the
cast.
The story of The Ballad of Songbirds and
Snakes revolves around Coriolanus Snow, an ambitious boy who eventually becomes
the tyrannical leader of the dystopian country of Panem.
Blyth will play the young Snow, while
Zegler is taking on the role of Lucy Gray Baird, the girl tribute from
impoverished District 12. Rivera plays Snow's close friend Sejanus Plinth.
Schafer will play Tigris Snow, Coriolanus's
cousin and confidante, who advises him in everything — from his role as mentor
to the core of his moral compass.
The latest draft of the screenplay is by
Michael Lesslie, who builds on the work of writers Suzanne Collins and Michael
Arndt.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will be
produced by Nina Jacobson and her producing partner Brad Simpson, along with
Francis Lawrence. Suzanne Collins, Tim Palen, and Jim Miller will serve as
executive producers.
Schafer made her acting debut portraying
Jules in the HBO critically acclaimed series Euphoria. She is currently working
on the film Cuckoo by director Tilman Singer.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is set
to open on November 17, 2023, in cinemas worldwide.