The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is winning its second weekend at the box office, which happens to be the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The Hunger Games prequel, based on the novel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins, earned $11.4 million on Black Friday, putting it on track to take in $27.7 million over its second three-day frame and $41.1 million with the added holiday showings included. That should put The Hunger Games prequel past the $100 million mark by Monday at the latest, though whether it'll spark a life for The Hunger Games franchise remains uncertain. The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes tells of how Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) began his path to becoming the dictator ruling over Panem, which involves his relationship with Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zeglar), a tribute participating in the 10th Hunger Games.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes has been mostly well-received by critics. ComicBook.com's Jamie Jirak awarded the film 4.5 out of 5 possible stars in their review. She writes:
"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. 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."
Following behind The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes are holiday weekend openers Wish and Napoleon. Wish is the latest release from Disney Animation. Napoleon is an epic historical biopic directed by Ridley Scott, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby. The two films are locked in a race for second place at the box office, each earning around $8-8.5 million on Friday and headed to opening weekends of around $32.33 million.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, Wish, and Napoleon are playing in theaters now. The list of the top 10 films at the box office this weekend is in the works.