Lionsgate’s prequel The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes had a promising start at the box office, bringing in $5.8 million in Thursday previews. This sets the stage for a strong opening weekend, with tracking showing the film potentially making $50 million. It’s been over a decade since the first Hunger Games film and eight years since the last installment in the core series, so a successful opening for the prequel would demonstrate the enduring popularity of the franchise.
The Hunger Games film series, based on Suzanne Collins’ dystopian YA novels, was a massive success, pulling in $2.9 billion at the global box office and propelling Jennifer Lawrence to stardom. The Ballad of the Songbirds & Snakes is a prequel based on Collins’ book of the same name, delving into the origins of the Hunger Games and the world in which they take place.
The prequel boasts a talented cast, with Rachel Zegler and Tom Blyth in leading roles, alongside actors such as Peter Dinklage, Jason Schwartzman, and Viola Davis. Francis Lawrence, who directed the last four Hunger Games movies, returns to helm The Ballad of the Songbirds & Snakes.
Opening alongside The Ballad of the Songbirds & Snakes are Universal and Illumination’s Trolls Band Together and Sony’s slasher pic Thanksgiving, directed by Eli Roth. Trolls Band Together had a solid start with $1.3 million in Thursday previews. The Thanksgiving box office weekend promises a variety of options for moviegoers, catering to different tastes and audiences.
Looking ahead to the Thanksgiving holiday, there are more films set to hit theaters. On November 22, a Wednesday, Apple Original Films and Sony’s Napoleon and Disney Animation’s Wish will join the holiday lineup. This diverse offering of films provides plenty of options for audiences looking to escape into the world of cinema over the long holiday weekend.
The anticipation for The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes and the other films premiering this Thanksgiving weekend sets the stage for a vibrant and exciting box office. As moviegoers flock to theaters in search of entertainment, the holiday weekend promises to be a lucrative and entertaining experience for all involved.
As the weekend unfolds, there’s sure to be more news and updates on box office performance, audience reactions, and the overall impact of these highly anticipated films. Stay tuned for more updates and exciting developments in the world of cinema.
