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‘Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping’ Looks Sunny On Tracking With Opening Forecasts Starting At $60M+
Early tracking suggests The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping could open to at least $60 million in the US over its first three days, with some rivals expecting more than $70 million. The forecast matters because it points to a stronger start than the previous film and could give the Thanksgiving box office a major draw.
The film opens on 20 November and returns to Panem 24 years before the original story, focusing on the 50th Hunger Games. Joseph Zada plays young Haymitch Abernathy; the trailer drew 109 million views in its first 24 hours, the second-highest total for a Lionsgate film. The previous instalment opened to $44.6 million domestically, while the franchise’s biggest opening remains Catching Fire at $158 million.
In short
- Tracking puts the opening at $60 million or more.
- Rivals think the three-day total could exceed $70 million.
- The prequel revisits Panem’s Second Quarter Quell.
Explained simply
The Hunger Games is a series of novels and films set in Panem, a future country where the ruling Capitol forces young people from its districts to compete in televised fights. The new film is a prequel, set 24 years before the first story, during the 50th Hunger Games.
It follows a young Haymitch Abernathy, played by Joseph Zada; older viewers of the original films will know Haymitch as the mentor played by Woody Harrelson. The series has drawn large audiences, and the previous film opened with $44.6 million in the US and Canada, while Catching Fire remains its biggest opening.
A strong start could make the film a major attraction during the Thanksgiving cinema period, when studios compete for holiday audiences. The franchise’s past performance and the trailer’s high view count help explain the attention around expectations for its opening.
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