Lionsgate’s highly anticipated prequel film, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, made an impressive $5.8 million in its Thursday previews at the domestic box office. This strong start indicates a promising opening weekend, with projections estimating a range of $50 million.
The Hunger Games franchise has been incredibly successful in the past, with the original four films making a whopping $2.9 billion worldwide. These films also propelled Jennifer Lawrence to stardom, solidifying her as a major female star in Hollywood.
The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is based on Suzanne Collins’ novel of the same name. The prequel features an exciting cast, including Rachel Zegler, Tom Blyth, Peter Dinklage, Jason Schwartzman, and Viola Davis. Francis Lawrence, who previously directed the Hunger Games films, returns as the director for this installment.
The release of The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes coincides with the Thanksgiving weekend, which also sees the arrival of other highly anticipated films. Trolls Band Together, for instance, earned $1.3 million in Thursday previews and is projected to bring in an impressive $20 million to $30 million.
Eli Roth’s film Thanksgiving also had a decent start, grossing $1 million in previews. Meanwhile, Napoleon and Wish are among the other films competing for viewers’ attention during this holiday weekend.
Overall, it seems that audiences are eager to return to the world of The Hunger Games with The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. With the impressive success of the previous films and a talented cast and crew on board, it is no wonder that this prequel is expected to make a strong impact at the box office.
