Francis Lawrence addresses whether there will be a follow-up movie to his upcoming prequel, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will bring the franchise back to theaters with an all-new story, but if director Francis Lawrence has his way, it won’t be the last prequel movie we see.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly for the new cover story, the filmmaker opened up about making another return for more Hunger Games, which his statements to EW make it seem possible. Lawrence tells the outlet:

"If Suzanne has another thematic idea that she feels fits into the world of Panem - whether with new people or familiar characters - I'd be interested in being a part of it. But I don’t have any pull of just going, like, ‘I would love to do Finnick’s games.’ What are the thematic underpinnings that make it worth telling? The original ones were all about the consequences of war. BOSS is about the state of nature. That’s what makes them feel rich - and why they’ve stood the test of time."

As the films are based on the work of author Suzanne Collins, we’ll need a new novel from her before we get any movement on a sequel to this prequel. At the time of writing, there’s nothing in development.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes serves as a prequel to the 2012 film adaptation of The Hunger Games and is the fifth entry in the cinematic franchise. The story is set 64 years before the first film and focuses on the early life of Coriolanus Snow and the events that propel him towards becoming the oppressive ruler of Panem. This includes his relationship with tribute, Lucy Gray Baird, during the 10th Hunger Games. The movie stars Tom Blyth and Rachel Zegler alongside Peter Dinklage, Hunter Schafer, Josh Andrés Rivera, Jason Schwartzman, and Viola Davis.

Source: Press Release