Tom Blyth, best known for Billy the Kid and The Gilded Age, has been cast in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, a precursor to The Hunger Games.

The actor will portray youthful President Coriolanus Snow in the Lionsgate feature picture, according to Variety. In the four-part film franchise based on Suzanne Collins’ novel series, the role was initially played by Hollywood legend Donald Sutherland.

Other cast members’ names will be revealed later.

The film is based on the same-named 2020 novel, which is set decades before Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen’s exploits in The Hunger Games films. Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, and Elizabeth Banks also starred in the original films.

Francis Lawrence, who directed The Hunger Games, will return to helm the upcoming film, which will begin production later this year.

Michael Arndt, who penned the second volume of the franchise, Catching Fire, and was supposed to create the script, has delegated his responsibilities to Michael Lesslie.

Snow, who is 18 years old at the time, is chosen to be mentor during the 10th Hunger Games, a televised event in which youngsters are selected by lottery to battle to the death.

Erin Westerman, president of production at Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, described Blyth as “an explosive young star” who was the ideal fit for this main part.

According to producer Nina Jacobson, “Tom’s performance will both fulfill and disrupt everything you think you know about Coriolanus Snow. He’s a tremendous talent who will show why Snow always lands on top.”

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