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The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, the prequel to Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games trilogy of books and films, is moving forward at Lionsgate, with Francis Lawrence set to return as director.

The book will be published worldwide on May 19 and Collins is working on a treatment currently. Michael Arndt will pen the screenplay.

According to Lionsgate, the film will focus on Coriolanus Snow at age 18, years before he would become the tyrannical President of Panem. Young Coriolanus is handsome and charming, and though the Snow family has fallen on hard times, he sees a chance for a change in his fortunes when he is chosen to be a mentor for the Tenth Hunger Games… only to have his elation dashed when he is assigned to mentor the girl tribute from impoverished District 12.

Lionsgate’s Joe Drake said, “Suzanne’s new book has been worth the wait. It offers everything fans could hope for and expect from The Hunger Games while also breaking new ground and introducing an entirely new canvas of characters. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is creatively thrilling and takes this world to complex new dimensions that open up amazing cinematic possibilities. We’re thrilled to reunite this filmmaking team with this very unique franchise, and we can’t wait to begin production.”

Collins noted, “Lionsgate has always been the cinematic home of The Hunger Games, and I’m delighted to be returning to them with this new book.”