From House Lannister to House Highbottom… Peter Dinklage is set to join the upcoming Hunger Games prequel.
According to Deadline, Dinklage will play Casca Highbottom in The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. The dean of the Academy plays an important role in influencing young Coriolanus Snow’s life.
“Dean Highbottom is one of the most powerful people in Snow’s life. As the austere and vindictive face of the games, he sets the rules that will determine every aspect of Coriolanus’s fate. I’m thrilled that Peter will be bringing him to life,” said director Francis Lawrence.
Dinklage joins previously announced cast members Tom Blyth (Snow) and Rachel Zegler (Lucy Gray Baird).
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes follows Snow years before he would become the tyrannical leader of Panem. 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow is the last hope for his fading lineage; a once-proud family that has fallen from grace in a post-war Capitol. With the 10th annual Hunger Games fast approaching, the young Snow is alarmed when he is assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird, the girl tribute from impoverished District 12. But, after Lucy Gray commands all of Panem’s attention by defiantly singing during the reaping ceremony, Snow thinks he might be able to turn the odds in their favor. Uniting their instincts for showmanship and newfound political savvy, Snow and Lucy’s race against time to survive will ultimately reveal who is a songbird, and who is a snake.
“With production underway, we couldn’t be more excited about the way this cast has come together and thrilled to be welcoming Peter Dinklage to Panem. Peter is not just a fan favorite actor who brings a commanding presence to every part he plays,” said Nathan Kahane, President of Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group. “He is one of the best actors alive. He will bring a formidable, charismatic authority to the important role of the dean of the Academy.”
Like the previous films, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes will draw on the YA novels by Suzanne Collins. The author will serve as an executive producer on the prequel feature.
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Source: Deadline
