What Is The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes Rated?

"The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" is a prequel to the beloved trilogy (or tetralogy, if you go by the movies). The new film takes place in the past and follows the rise to power of Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth), who becomes the head of the Capitol in the main storyline. There's a lot about Panem that's different during this period in time, but the one thing that's constant is the Hunger Games, where young kids kill each other until only one is left standing.

With child murder intrinsic in the plot, it's only natural to wonder what "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" film will be rated. It turns out the prequel will follow in the same footsteps as the other "Hunger Games" films in being rated PG-13. Film Ratings states the classification is due to "strong violent content and disturbing material." That's in line with the franchise, as there's ample violence and death in every installment. The prequel, based on the book, should follow in those footsteps, as it's about the 10th Annual Hunger Games, long before Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) would enter the arena.

Keeping that in mind, parents should be mindful of bringing their kids. The subject matter should be fine for teenagers, especially if they've already seen the other "Hunger Games" movies and know what to expect. But there could be images that frighten younger viewers.

"The Hunger Games" books are filled with violence, particularly against children. That's a pretty tough go when it comes to the Motion Picture Association handing out ratings, but the films have always fallen within PG-13 territory. A variety of techniques were used to make the violence more understated, such as the camera cutting away right before a brutal blow or keeping certain bloody images in the background out of focus so that attention isn't drawn to the bloodshed.

However, as anyone who's read "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" can attest, the prequel might be even more gruesome than the original series. Even before the competition starts, the Capitol treats the tributes horrendously, with some of them dying before the Games begin. Without getting into spoilers from the book, there are some pretty graphic scenes. One would assume these will be toned down for the film or perhaps even taken out entirely to preserve the PG-13 rating.

The true extent of the violence won't be known until closer to the movie's release. The Young Adult series always keeps things manageable for teenagers, but for anyone younger, parents should be aware of what they can and can't handle. Seeing characters who look like they could be their peers in peril may be traumatic for some younger viewers. As always, it's important to have these discussions beforehand so that no one feels uncomfortable in the middle of a movie.