Lionsgate
Updated: Benchmarks to celebrate as the market looks to rebound after one-two punches that crippled the box office: Lionsgate’s The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Serpents passed $100 million on its 11th day of release yesterday mark has been exceeded at the domestic box office. Additionally, the film passed $100 million overseas yesterday, bringing Songbirds & Snakes’ global total to $200 million.
The film is the second for Lionsgate this year to cross the century mark, following “John Wick: Chapter 4,” and it did so in eight days. Songbirds and Snakes also becomes the 23rd film of 2023 to surpass $100 million. Last year, in 2022, there were only 18 films that grossed more than $100 million.
Yesterday, Songbirds & Snakes grossed $1.9 million, down 71% from Sunday’s $6.6 million. The Francis Lawrence-directed prequel; The helmer’s fourth film in the Suzanne Collins franchise surprised over Thanksgiving weekend by opening with a three-day gross of $29 million and a five-day gross of $42.2 million .$1, defeating newcomers “Wish” from Disney ($31.6 million) and “Napoleon” from Apple Original Production ($32.7 million).
While industry sources predict “Songbirds & Snakes” will drop -55% in its third weekend, translating to a three-day gross of around $13 million, one cannot discount the film’s momentum, even though AMC’s “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé” is in theaters. The latter picture’s pre-sale numbers are very low, close to “West Side Story” and “In the Heights.” So it wouldn’t be shocking if “Songbirds & Snakes” landed at No. 1 for the third year in a row. Don’t put everything on Beyoncé. Expectations for the concert documentary have fallen to $15 million at the low end, and they could be even lower.
More in the weeds at Songbirds & Snakes: Hunger Games – Mockingjay Part 2 fell -49% between its opening weekend and the three-day Black Friday frame. Songbirds and snakes had better grip at -35%. Post-Black Friday frame, Mockingjay Part 2 down -63%.
Currently, Songbirds & Snakes is 15% behind the second film, “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” a Harry Potter spin-off that grossed $118.1 million in 11 days. This Warner Bros. film cost $159.6 million. Given that The Hunger Games movies are in limbo over the holidays, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Songbirds and Snakes top $150 million in its finale. The picture cost just over $100 million before marketing costs.