Jason Schwartzman plays Lucky Flickerman in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes—a character whose surname will sound familiar to Hunger Games fans. Lucky serves as the official host of the 10th Hunger Games, just as Caesar Flickerman did during Katniss’ 74th and 75th Games. This is certainly not a coincidence, and the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes books provide some clues about how these characters would be connected.
There are few familiar characters between The Hunger Games and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes since the prequel is set approximately 65 years before the start of Katniss’ story. Of course, Coriolanus Snow is the same as the dictator of Panem during the District’s second rebellion. Aside from this, the individuals who work as part of the Games are new to audiences. Still, this isn’t to say there aren’t several familiar surnames. Audiences will hear of characters called Heavensbee, Crane, and Cardew, to name a few. And, of course, the name ‘Flickerman’ is sure to stand out.
Jason Schwartzman Plays Lucky Flickerman In The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes
Schwartzman’s Lucky Flickerman is a brand new character in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The book revealed that the man had been a weatherman for Panem’s Capitol until he was asked to become the first-ever host of the annual Hunger Games. This was an important step in the history of the brutal events. Before the 10th Games, the yearly battle to the death between District children had been a spectacle that even the Capitol citizens despised, and most refused to watch. This inspired those who organized the Games to rethink how they presented the Hunger Games—and they turned it into a major festivity.
The first step in this change to the Hunger Games was televising the event in a way that would appeal to Capitol audiences, so Lucky Flickerman was brought in to commentate and entertain during the low points of the fights. It wasn’t much fun to watch the District tributes hunker down and fight for survival on their own, so the host would discuss tactics, interview mentors, and even do some magic tricks to keep Capitol citizens glued to their screens.
The name of the 10th Hunger Games host in the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes book caused many readers to do a double take. Since Lucky shared a surname with Caesar Flickerman, it can be assumed that he is a relative. Some fans even speculated that Lucky was Caesar and that he changed his name in future years hosting the Games. However, this would not be likely, since Caesar is revealed in The Hunger Games to have been the host for 40 years, not the 65 years that had passed since Lucky worked in the 10th Hunger Games.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes never specified exactly how Lucky and Caesar Flickerman are related. There is never any word as to whether Lucky had children while he hosted the 10th Hunger Games, but the assumption—given the timing—is that Caesar is Lucky’s son or grandson. It seems that the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes movie is embracing this idea since casting Schwartzman, who shares quite the resemblance to actor Stanley Tucci, draws further parallels between these two characters.
What Happened To Caesar Flickerman In The Hunger Games
Caesar Flickerman, unlike his ancestor Lucky, was easy to like and highly skilled at presenting the District tributes in the best light possible. Even Katniss, whose first instinct was to despise the Capitol citizens, always felt Caeser was on her side. Of course, once the District rebellion was in full swing, Caesar was quick to call Katniss a traitor and criminal and publically celebrated her supposed Hunger Games death. After President Snow’s downfall, Caesar’s fate was never revealed. However, given President Coin’s methods, it can be assumed that he was assassinated for his role in Snow’s Panem.
Of course, it’s difficult to know what Caesar’s true feelings were regarding President Snow. The man was an ever-smiling mask who never missed a beat and used his position on Panem’s screens with great care. Ultimately, the reveal that Caesar’s relative had been his predecessor sheds a little more light on the character’s loyalties. Coriolanus Snow despised Lucky Flickerman in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, and if he ‘did away with’ the silly host and replaced him with his son or grandson, Caeser would have learned early on what would have happened if he didn’t perform precisely to Snow’s standards.
