The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes arrives in UK cinemas this week. <\/p>
The latest entry in the Hunger Games franchise<\/a> might take place before the events of the previous films \u2013 but director Francis Lawrence reckons it would still make sense for viewers to watch the original movies first.<\/p>\n The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes<\/a> tells the origin story of future Panem President Coriolanus Snow before he started down a villainous path, with Tom Blyth taking on the role that was made famous by Donald Sutherland.<\/p>\n And asked during an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com<\/a> which order<\/a> newcomers to the franchise should watch the films in, Lawrence said that while he thinks \u201cit could work either way\u201d, he would recommend starting with the originals.<\/p> \u201cI will say, I think part of what\u2019s fun is if you hadn\u2019t seen any of the movies, or read any of the other books, you can watch this story and, I think, find it engaging and find it fulfilling as a standalone movie.\u201d<\/p>\n But he added: \u201cI think if you\u2019ve seen the other movies\u2026 part of the fun of this one is there\u2019s so many elements that are sort of the origins of things \u2013 the origins of characters, the origins of character dynamics, the origins of songs we know from the other one, you know, a lot of little Easter eggs.<\/p>\n \u201c[So] it might actually be better to watch this one after [the originals], if you\u2019ve never seen them. Because I think you\u2019ll just have this other level of enjoyment of feeling the origins of things.\u201d<\/p>\n Read more:<\/strong><\/p>\n