The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes topped the North American box office in its first weekend in theaters with $44 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. It was a busy weekend at the multiplex, leading into the often-lucrative Thanksgiving corridor. And while there were plenty of films to choose from, not everything could be a hit. Audiences had The Marvels, which plummeted a record 78% in its second weekend, as well as the nationwide debuts of the family-friendly Trolls World Tour, Taika Waititi's soccer comedy Next Goal Wins, and the R-rated slasher Thanksgiving all in wide release, the AP reports.
The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is an interesting case study for a franchise that's been dormant for eight years. Its $44 million from 3,776 locations marks a low for films carrying The Hunger Games in the title. The four Jennifer Lawrence films all broke $100 million in their first weekends; the high point was the first with $158 million in 2013, the low was the last one with $102.7 million in 2015. With an added $54.5 million from 87 international markets, the film has already earned $98.5 million out of the gates. However, critics were mixed on this one, which is an origin story about future Panem President Coriolanus Snow. It currently carries a 61% on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences were more positive.
Below are estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at US and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
- The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, $44 million.
- Trolls Band Together, $30.6 million.
- The Marvels, $10.2 million.
- Thanksgiving, $10.2 million.
- Five Nights at Freddy's, $3.5 million.
- The Holdovers, $2.7 million.
- Next Goal Wins, $2.5 million.
- Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, $2.4 million.
- Priscilla, $2.3 million.
- Killers of the Flower Moon, $1.9 million.
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