Friday, March 29, 2024

The Hunger Games 4: LionsGate Waits for Only Its Second $100 Mil Hit of the Year

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So far this year LionsGate films has released 22 films that brought in a total of $367  million. About a third of that was taken in by “Insurgent” from the Divergent series, which made $130 million. That was one home run and 24 singles or doubles.

Now they wait for “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2” to make their biggest money of the year.

But most of LionsGate is low level stuff hoping to break out. “Sicario” is one of those, with $45 million. But most of the balance of their releases were disasters like Johnny Depp in “Mortdecai” ($7.7 million) or Keanu Reeves in Eli Roth’s “Knock Knock” which made $36,000. Yes, you read that correctly.

“HGMJ2” looks a little wobbly going in. Reviews were divided. It’s unclear where anyone other than hardcore “Hunger Games” fans still care about the series. The last two movies were divided out of one book, and my teen sources are a little apathetic this time around. There was none of that “got to see it” action going on.

LionsGate has lived on the “Twilight” series and “The Hunger Games” movies, mining the YA market. They’re hoping for more of that with “Insurgent” — but so far that seems like weak tea unless the next one– maybe it’s called “Detergent”– catches on big time. Kids may be burned out on dystopia.

So let the Games begin.

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.
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