Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes Tops Wish, Napoleon at Thanksgiving Box Office

The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes might end up sitting atop the Thanksgiving box office throne this weekend. Disney's Wish is right behind the praised franchise sequel, with Napoleon in hot pursuit. The Hunger Games movie could be in for a 3-day stretch of $29.3 million if things shake out according to projections. Before the weekend, these same industry sources had Wish at about $40 to $50 million. But, projections have shifted to about $38. Lionshgate has to be thrilled that their big franchise continues to draw in the same audience that showed up faithfully for Katniss Everdeen's adventures all those years ago.

On the Disney front, the biggest deciding factor will be if families get out to see Wish today. Yesterday, the movie industry as a whole saw a rising tide as people trickled out to the theaters in the afternoon. However, most of those making the trek were teenagers headed toward The Hunger Games. That trend historically tends to flip on Black Friday as families make a day of getting out of the house. Wish has a high Cinemascore when compared to a lot of recent Disney projects, so this one will be a crowd pleaser. (That A- stacks up with juggernauts like Frozen II!) So, the race will be tight as the weekend stretches on.

How Good Is The Hunger Games Prequel?

Apparently, it must be doing something right. ComicBook.com reviewed The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes recently. In our review, this is a no-brainer trip to the theater for longtime Hunger Games fans. Panem is a familiar destination for people and the film does a great job of exploring the story that leads straight to the drama of the series that viewers showed up in droves for.

"If you're a fan of The Hunger Games, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is going to transport you back to Panem with great ease. The film is daring, engaging, tense, and even occasionally funny. It's no easy feat to make a prequel that's just as good, if not better, than the films that came before," we wrote. "However, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes manages to outshine both Mockingjay films while giving The Hunger Games and Catching Fire a run for their money. Not only is The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes faithful to the book, but it showcases one of the best casts of the year. If you have any affection for this franchise, you won't want to miss the newest installment on the big screen."

What Is Wish About?

Disney has a synopsis for their big family crowd-pleaser, "In Wish, Asha, a sharp-witted idealist, makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force—a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, Asha and Star confront a most formidable foe—the ruler of Rosas, King Magnifico—to save her community and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen."

"Featuring the voices of Academy Award®-winning actor Ariana DeBose as Asha, Chris Pine as Magnifico, and Alan Tudyk as Asha's favorite goat, Valentino, the film is helmed by Oscar®-winning director Chris Buck ("Frozen," "Frozen 2") and Fawn Veerasunthorn ("Raya and the Last Dragon"), produced by Peter Del Vecho ("Frozen," "Frozen 2") and Juan Pablo Reyes ("Encanto"). Jennifer Lee ("Frozen," "Frozen 2") executive produces—Lee and Allison Moore ("Night Sky," "Manhunt") are writers on the project. With original songs by Grammy®-nominated singer/songwriter Julia Michaels and Grammy-winning producer/songwriter/musician Benjamin Rice, plus score by composer Dave Metzger."

Do you think Wish will win or will Hunger Games stage the upset? Let us know down in the comments!