Lionsgate Blames Terrorism and Star Wars for Hunger Games Box Office Shortcomings
The Hunger Games saga came to an end late in 2015, but not with a bang but a whimper in the eyes of many. Lionsgate is keeping the possibility of a future for the series alive, with the intent of cashing in on a popular property.
The film received favourable reception from many critics, though it is regarded as a film that was incapable of reaching the heights of its earlier chapters, suffering from the two-part concept that franchises of this kind are reliant on. The film opened with the smallest opening weekend box office of the entire franchise.
With a less than stellar run at theatres, earning $652 million worldwide, Lionsgate executives are pointing at terrorism and the premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens as factors prohibiting The Hunger Games finale from reaching its biggest possible audience.
Deadline reports that LIonsgate co-chairman of the Motion Picture Group Rob Friedman claimed that Star Wars' massive box office opening, as well as the Paris attacks in November, had a heavy affect on Mockingjay - Part 2's performance.
"I think the combination of circumstances was unique between the terrorist attack in Europe and Star Wars... hit our numbers by somewhere between #50M and $100M." Certainly, it can be argued that these things had an affect.
But things do happen, and the studio should be weary of the fact that placing the blame on things besides themselves is fundamentally juvenile.
Source: Deadline
