In this extended first look at the new film featuring new footage plus Rachel Zegler's rendition of The Hanging Tree, director Francis Lawrence explains how the origin story depicts a young Coriolanus Snow being "groomed to become the man he becomes."
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 believes."
The clip also showcases Zegler's performance of The Hanging Tree, a song Jennifer 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 from the book that Zegler sings in the new film.
Composer James Newton Howard says, "Hanging Tree is back in a completely different iteration and treatment." Adds director Francis, "Here, we see Lucy Gray coming up with it for the first time."
Dave Cobb is the film's executive music producer, which features tunes inspired by British Isles music and Southern music mashed together for the dystopian setting.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is in theaters on November 17. Rachel Zegler's "The Hanging Tree" single is available Friday, October 20th