This November, a Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, releases in theaters. The Rachel Zegler-led prequel is set decades before the main series, and franchise producer Nina Jacobson has teased the upcoming film and its different visual style.

Speaking during a presentation at CineEurope, Johnson said that Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes “doesn't feel like it's trying to duplicate the past films,” and added that “it's a new story, with new ground and new characters. We were able to create a completely different visual language… one that is still recognizably Panem, but also different and fresh.”

Director Francis Lawrence, who took over the directorial reins from Gary Ross with The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and has not looked back since, has seen it all when it comes to this franchise and said, “This is the kind of playground that doesn't come along very often, so when you have a chance to return, it's enormously gratifying.”

Per Lionsgate, the official synopsis for the Hunger Games prequel reads: “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.”

This type of tease coming from those involved in the Hunger Games prequel is exciting, as a new visual style and palette is long overdue.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes will be released on November 17.