Are Things Looking Up for the Hunger Games Prequel?

Boxoffice Pro's initial projection for Hunger Games prequel, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, was none too impressive--a $35-$45 million opening weekend on the way to a final take in the $90-$142 million range, a very, very far cry from the spectacular grosses of the four films of the original saga (after adjustment for inflation, $850 million+). Still, where, for example, Captain Marvel 2's projection has eroded from week to week, there has been a slight improvement in that of the prequel film's, of 5 percent last week, and 1 percent more this week, which has raised the projection to a debut in the $38-$50 million range, and a total run in the $97-$157 million range.

The film, of course, has two more weeks to go, and one can picture the improvement continuing--but even were that to happen, the movie's likely gross rising by another 10 percent or so (to, say, $110-$175 million in the domestic market), it would still be a far cry from the successes of the first four films, and, given the likely investment in the production, very dependent on a strong overseas response to break even.