The first Hunger Games spinoff movie was a prequel following President Snow, so it only makes sense that President Coin would be next. Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes dove into Snow's teenage years, showcasing the experiences that led him to become the dictator of Katniss' day. This retroactively made the character's role in The Hunger Games more impactful since several profound connections between Snow, Katniss, and the Hunger Games themselves were revealed through every step of the story. Still, we know very little about the other villain of The Hunger Games.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a prequel film based on the book by Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins. So far, there has been no word on whether Collins or Lionsgate has explored the idea of another installment in the franchise—both stories have been wrapped up nicely, so there isn't necessarily a need for one. Still, another book or movie exploring Snow and Katniss' shared enemy could bring some balance to The Hunger Games. President Alma Coin was the other side of the "same coin" as Snow, which makes her the logical focus of the next prequel.
A President Coin Prequel Would Bring Perfect Balance To The Hunger Games Franchise
The Hunger Games books and movies took Katniss' point of view, demonstrating what life was like for the District citizens who were forced to send their children into the arena. On the other hand, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes showed audiences what life had been like for those in the Capitol during and after the war, as well as the profound effects of this experience and the subsequent propaganda. This meant a fairly well-rounded story. However, the only perspective that has yet to be seen is what life was like in District 13 following its secession from Panem.
Since Snow, Katniss, and Coin were the significant powers of The Hunger Games, it only makes sense that this story would be explored in the future. Another prequel could potentially dive into what life had been like for Coin growing up in District 13 and what sort of things she was raised believing about the Capitol, the other Districts, and the Hunger Games. Additionally, we could see her rise to power and understand her goals from her perspective. Said and done, this would mean a well-rounded Hunger Games franchise that fully fleshes out the catastrophic result of Panem's initial war from every angle.
There Is Even Less Known About Coin's Past Than Snow's
President Coriolanus Snow was a definitive villain from the beginning of The Hunger Games, but Coin snuck in at the very last minute. She wasn't someone that Katniss' particularly liked, but it wasn't clear just how dangerous the District 13 president was until the end of the war. Ultimately, Mockingjay revealed that Coin had always been the one pulling the strings, using both Katniss and Snow like pieces in her own game for power. As impactful as this ending was, little was known about Coin by the end of The Hunger Games.
Primrose tells Katniss in Mockingjay that Coin used to have a husband and daughter but that they both died when an illness swept through District 13, taking a massive chunk of the population.
The Hunger Games movies revealed almost nothing about Coin's past, but the books provided the basics. The woman was in her 50s during the events of Katniss' story, which means she was born in District 13 after it succeeded from Panem. Additionally, Primrose tells Katniss in Mockingjay that Coin used to have a husband and daughter but that they both died when an illness swept through District 13, taking a massive chunk of the population. This is intriguing enough to inspire a prequel exploring how Coin's life and this tragedy would have shaped her while leaving room for more surprises.
A Coin Prequel Could Dive Into District 13's Hunger Games History
The Hunger Games revealed that District 13 struck a deal with Panem at the end of the first rebellion—it wouldn't use its nuclear missiles against the Capitol if the District was secretly granted independence. From then on, District 13 was on its own. It no longer had the support of the Capitol and didn't even have access to the resources of its old District allies. As Katniss saw during her stay there, this meant that the citizens had to learn to be highly frugal, and everything they did was closely monitored and regulated by District 13's government.
This, combined with the periods of starvation and disease, meant that District 13 wasn't any more free than the other Districts. However, it was far more complicated for its citizens to point the finger of blame. Their government kept them alive, and the totalitarian control was seen as being in their best interest (unlike how the other Districts felt about Panem). Still, this doesn't change the fact that District 13 was just as much a dictatorship as Panem. So, Coin's rise to power would have felt similar to Snow's. They were the same but different—two sides of the same coin.
There's 1 Major Problem With A Hunger Games Prequel About Coin
A President Coin prequel is intriguing in a variety of ways. It would allow The Hunger Games franchise to continue its commentary on the consequences of war and government corruption while creating opportunities for Coin's story to be further linked with Snow and Katniss' (like Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes did). This could bring the series full circle, balancing out the story in an impactful way. However, a Presiden Coin prequel would break The Hunger Games formula significantly since District 13 never participated in the Hunger Games.
Every installment in the Hunger Games franchise features some version of the games. This was true in even Mockingjay, which saw Panem's Capitol turned into an arena. A story set in District 13 couldn't do this because the Hunger Games were established after the place went underground. So, a President Coin prequel would be the first to move away from the arena, which could be a problem for the franchise. Not only do audiences expect Hunger Games in a The Hunger Games installment, but Suzanne Collins' story has excellent literary balance, and leaving out the titular event would harm this. Still, the clever author could find a way to make it work.
