3X GRAMMY WINNER OLIVIA RODRIGO WRITES AND RECORDS "CAN'T CATCH ME NOW" FOR LIONSGATE'S HIGHLY ANTICIPATED FILM "THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES"

ARTIST & SONG REVEALED IN TIMES SQUARE TELECAST

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

WATCH & DOWNLOAD A NEW :60 SPOT FEATURING THE NEW SONG

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Nov. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Three-time Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Olivia Rodrigo has written and recorded "Can't Catch Me Now" as the official song of Lionsgate's highly anticipated The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, it was revealed today as the studio took over a billboard in Times Square and streamed the announcement during a special one-hour event broadcast live on TikTok.

The reveal is in celebration of tickets going on sale today for the new film. Tickets are available at all major ticketing sites. The film will be released exclusively in theaters throughout most of the world beginning November 17.

Since the beginning of the franchise, the world's top recording artists – including Taylor Swift, Coldplay, and Lorde – have provided original songs explicitly for the Hunger Games films. Rodrigo now joins that legacy.

The event disclosed Olivia Rodrigo as the film's secret unannounced musical artist and gave viewers a sixty second preview of the song. Joining fans in attendance at the Times Square were the film's stars Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, and Josh Andrés Rivera, watching as the spectacle kicked off with a clip from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, followed by a live, 50-plus-member choir singing "The Hanging Tree." Fans can see the reveal on TikTok @Lionsgate.

Following the announcement of TikTok's Out of Phone offering during Advertising Week, TikTok and digital out-of-home innovator DIVE Billboards have tapped into the creativity of the Hunger Games community and brought to market the first Out of Phone: Billboard activation that leverages TikTok creator led content together with a live experiential moment and shares it with Hunger Games fans in Times Square and beyond.

Commenting on the announcement, Francis Lawrence, director of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, said, "From the very beginning of this franchise, we have been fortunate to attract some of the world's most talented recording artists, whose music has accentuated and complemented the drama of the films while underscoring the emotional weight carried by the characters. With her highly charged lyrics and urgent voice, Olivia Rodrigo taps into all of that as much as any artist today. She's an absolute thrill to work with and we couldn't be more excited that her music is a part of the movie."

In addition to Olivia Rodrigo, the film also features unforgettable musical performances from Rachel Zegler, who plays Lucy Gray Baird in the film and is a renowned singer in her own right. Recently, the studio released Zegler's performance of "The Hanging Tree," the ballad originally performed by Jennifer Lawrence in The Hunger Games; Lawrence's recording went to #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified double-platinum.

Experience the story of The Hunger Games — 64 years before Katniss Everdeen volunteered as tribute, and decades before Coriolanus Snow became the tyrannical President of Panem.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes follows a young Coriolanus (Tom Blyth) who is the last hope for his failing lineage, the once-proud Snow family that has fallen from grace in a post-war Capitol. With his livelihood threatened, Snow is reluctantly assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), a tribute from the impoverished District 12. But after Lucy Gray's charm captivates the audience of Panem, Snow sees an opportunity to shift their fates. With everything he has worked for hanging in the balance, Snow unites with Lucy Gray to turn the odds in their favor. Battling his instincts for both good and evil, Snow sets out on a race against time to survive and reveal if he will ultimately become a songbird or a snake.

Lionsgate presents, a Color Force / Lionsgate / about:blank production. The film is directed by Francis Lawrence from a screenplay by Michael Lesslie and Michael Arndt, based on the novel by Suzanne Collins, and produced by Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, and Francis Lawrence.

About Lionsgate
Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) encompasses world-class motion picture and television studio operations aligned with the STARZ premium global subscription platform to bring a unique and varied portfolio of entertainment to consumers around the world. The Company's film, television, subscription and location-based entertainment businesses are backed by an 18,000-title library and a valuable collection of iconic film and television franchises. A digital age company driven by its entrepreneurial culture and commitment to innovation, the Lionsgate brand is synonymous with bold, original, relatable entertainment for audiences worldwide.

Contact is Steve Elzersteve@elzerassociates.com 

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SOURCE Lionsgate