July 19 (UPI) — Peter Dinklage has joined the cast of the upcoming “Hunger Games” prequel film “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.”
The news was confirmed Monday by a tweet from the official “Hunger Games” account. Dinklage, 53, will have a starring role in the film as Casca Highbottom, according to the tweet. Highbottom is one of the main characters in Suzanne Collins’ 2020 book of the same name, which serves as a prequel to her wildly successful trilogy “The Hunger Games.”
“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,” said Nathan Kahane, president of the film’s production company, Lionsgate.
The upcoming film’s director, Francis Lawrence, also released a statement saying that he was “thrilled that Peter will be bringing [Casca Highbottom] to life.” Lawrence previously directed films in the original “Hunger Games” trilogy starring Jennifer Lawrence.
Dinklage rose to worldwide fame for his portrayal of Tyrion Lannister in the HBO series “Game of Thrones.” The role won him four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.
He is also known for his appearances in films such as “Elf,” “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing,” “Missouri” and “Avengers: Infinity War.”
Dinklage is one of a number of high-profile faces who have joined “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” in recent months.
In May, 21-year-old “West Side Story” breakout star Rachel Zegler was tapped to play Lucy Gray Baird, one of the two starring roles. At the time of her casting, Lawrence called Zegler “a star who would command the screen for a generation.”
Zegler was joined in June by “Euphoria” star Hunter Schafer. Schafer, 23, will play Tigris Snow, a cousin of the film’s main character, Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth).
Another name added to the cast in June is Jason Schwartzman, with the 42-year-old playing “Lucky” Flickerman, the host of the games. Schwartzman is known for his collaborations with filmmaker Wes Anderson, having appeared in seven of the director’s films.
“The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” is slated for a theatrical release on Nov. 17, 2023.
