The Hunger Games Prequel Predicted to Have the Franchise's Lowest Box Office Opening

Highlights

Projections indicate that The Hunger Games prequel film may have a weak opening at the box office, potentially making it the lowest opening weekend for the franchise.

The film's decision to proceed with the scheduled release date during the strike may have impeded its promotion and restricted the cast's ability to create excitement.

With other highly anticipated movies such as The Marvels and Wish also vying for the attention of the same target audience in November, the prequel faces challenging competition that could potentially impact its reach among viewers.

The box office projections for The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes suggest that the film might not have the same initial impact as its predecessors.

The Hunger Games is a thrilling dystopian science fiction franchise that includes a series of films adapted from the works of young adult writer Suzanne Collins, produced by Lionsgate. The story takes place in Panem, a dystopian society plagued by struggles, where a privileged few in the Capital force the impoverished districts to participate in the Hunger Games for their entertainment. Although there were differences between the books and movies, the films achieved immense success and catapulted lead actress Jennifer Lawrence into international stardom.

While there was significant buzz online surrounding Rachel Zegler's casting as the lead in the Hunger Games prequel, her appeal on opening day falls short compared to Jennifer Lawrence's reign during the original franchise. Deadline's latest report projects a $50 million debut for the film in November, which would mark the lowest opening weekend for any movie in the series. This is quite remarkable considering the existing films have collectively amassed approximately $3 billion in box office earnings. The conservative estimate for the prequel's performance can be attributed, in part, to Lionsgate's decision to maintain the release date despite the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strikes.

Despite the SAG strike, the decision was made to stick with the release date, which unfortunately prevented the cast from promoting the film. This goes against the theory that Lionsgate strategically planned the Hunger Games renaissance alongside the prequel film's promotional material. While postponing the release indefinitely due to the unpredictable strike would have been challenging, a deliberate approach in building fan anticipation should have considered the impact of the stars' endorsements.

Nevertheless, with the film's November release just weeks away, the cast will not be available to generate support for the project. This situation is even more problematic considering that The Hunger Games prequel features renowned names like Viola Davis, who could have attracted a more diverse audience beyond the franchise's usual demographic of women aged 17-34. The November box office lineup, including Disney's The Marvels and the animated film Wish, only adds to the competition faced by the Hunger Games prequel.

The lackluster opening of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes may not come as a surprise to some, given that the popularity of young adult adaptations has dwindled in recent years. Additionally, the decision to introduce a new cast for a prequel film adds to the uncertainty of its success. Only time will tell if the film's quality can save its box office performance and if it will surpass the excellence of Catching Fire, remaining the best Hunger Games installment. Mark your calendars for its theatrical release on November 17, 2023.

Source: Deadline