Things are definitely not looking good for the upcoming ‘The Hunger Games’ instalment, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, starring Rachel Zegler and Tom Blyth. Taking inspiration from Suzanne Collins’ 2020 novel, the film explores the world of Districts before Katniss Everdeen’s time.
Songbirds & Snakes may suffer from low collections at the box office, both domestically and globally. According to Box Office Pro, the film may end up having the franchise’s worst opening weekend. It may earn somewhere near $35-45 million domestically in its opening weekend. In addition, its entire domestic box office collection may reach up to $100-150 million. These figures are very low compared to the original Hunger Games films. The franchise’s last entry, Mockingjay: Part 2 (2015), grossed over $281 million domestically and nearly $653 million globally. Its opening domestic collection stood at nearly $102 million.
All previous Hunger Games movies have earned over $650 million globally, a feat that is impossible for Songbirds & Snakes to achieve. The forthcoming prequel may become a box-office success. But its overall performance will not be as amazing as its predecessors.
Early reactions towards Songbirds & Snakes are mixed-to-positive, with praise directed towards the cast’s performances and visuals. However, many have criticised the film’s rushed ending and its inability to live up to the standards set by the original Hunger Games movies. It currently has a 67% ‘fresh’ Rotten Tomatoes score (based on 46 reviews).
Another thing that has seriously affected Songbirds & Snakes’ hype is its leading lady, Rachel Zegler. Her controversial comments on the classic 1937 Show White animated film have made many Disney fans unhappy. In addition, many people have blamed the actress for making the upcoming live-action Snow White remake ‘too feminist’. Furthermore, the lack of Jennifer Lawrence will adversely affect the prequel’s collections. The original Hunger Games movies have played a key role in making Lawrence a globally prominent star, making Katniss Everdeen one of the most iconic movie characters of the 2010s.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes will come out in theatres globally on November 17. Stay tuned for more updates.