The Hunger Games Prequel Dominates Thanksgiving Weekend Box Office

The highly anticipated Disney animated film "Wish" was expected to rule the Thanksgiving weekend box office. But surprisingly, it was the Hunger Games prequel, "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes," that topped the charts for the second weekend in a row.

"Wish" and the historical drama "Napoleon" were the two big new releases over the holiday frame. But neither could defeat "Songbirds and Snakes," which brought in $42 million over the five days. The Hunger Games origin story has now earned close to $100 million domestically after just two weeks.

It was a tight race for second place between "Napoleon" and "Wish." Scott's epic drama about the famous French emperor narrowly won, grossing $32.5 million over the long weekend. Starring Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby, "Napoleon" got mixed reviews but moviegoers were moderately pleased. The film did better business than expected, especially for a long, adult-focused drama. But given its steep $200 million budget, it still faces a challenge to turn a profit.

There were high expectations for the animated "Wish." Recent Disney films like "Frozen II" and "Coco" had scored record Thanksgiving openings. But "Wish" wasn't able to work the same magic, debuting to a decent but underwhelming $31.7 million. Adding to Disney's recent struggles, it failed to draw the family crowds as anticipated. The studio's last holiday release, "Strange World," had completely bombed just a year ago.

"Wish" likely suffered from having to compete with "Trolls Band Together." That DreamWorks animation sequel remained strong in its second weekend, grossing $25.3 million over the five days. According to analyst Paul Dergarabedian, "Wish" had its family audience split by the Trolls movie.

But the outlook isn't all bad for "Wish." As evidenced by Pixar's "Elemental," which had a soft start in June but eventually soared to $500 million globally, these types of films sometimes find their footing after shaky beginnings.

There was one other new wide release over Thanksgiving - the dark comedy "Saltburn." After premiering to sold-out shows last weekend, it expanded nationwide to $3.1 million for Amazon and MGM. With awards season kicking into high gear, the well-reviewed indie drama "The Holdovers" continues to draw respectable crowds. In five weeks, the Paul Giamatti film has brought in almost $13 million.

Overall, the total box office bounced back significantly from recent Thanksgiving weekends, reaching $172 million. That's still well short of pre-pandemic holiday frames powered by big blockbusters. But it shows positive momentum as the final month of the year typically brings some of the biggest moneymakers.

The Hunger Games franchise is clearly still a major draw, as interest remains high for the prequel story set decades before the famous Battle Royale games. Disney has likely not seen the last of "Wish" either. While it may not replicate the mega-hits like "Frozen," the family film could hang around theaters for weeks and potentially challenge "Elemental's" comeback run. As for "Napoleon," only time will tell if the big-budget gamble pays off across its international rollout.

The strong performance of "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" shows the enduring popularity of the Hunger Games franchise. Set decades before Katniss Everdeen's revolutionary actions, the prequel explores the early days of the brutal Battle Royale competition. Newcomer Tom Blyth has earned praise as the young Coriolanus Snow, who will one day become the tyrannical President of Panem. His twisted mentorship of tribute Lucy Gray Baird helps set the stage for the dystopian world Katniss will one day face.

"Songbirds and Snakes" cost a reported $200 million to produce. So its nearly $100 million domestic gross already marks a good start toward profitability. With solid word-of-mouth and critical reception, as well as more international markets still to open, the latest Hunger Games chapter looks poised to surpass the $450 million worldwide total of its predecessors "Mockingjay Part 1" and "Part 2." That would make it the highest grossing film in the franchise since 2013's "Catching Fire."

While "Napoleon" may depict the power-hungry emperor's downfall onscreen, the film itself hopes to conquer the global box office for weeks to come. Bolstered by strong results in France and the United Kingdom, Scott's historical epic has grossed $78.8 million globally thus far. With awards buzz around Phoenix and Kirby's acclaimed performances, "Napoleon" could potentially emulate the box office runs of Scott's "Gladiator" and "The Last Duel." The former grossed over $450 million back in 2000, while the latter tripled its $30 million domestic total after landing a Best Picture Oscar nomination last year.

As for "Wish," the road ahead remains uncertain but opportunities abound. Disney has a strong track record of retaining audiences for family films past opening weekend. With holiday weekdays and winter breaks coming up, parents may bring their kids to see the well-reviewed fantasy adventure for weeks to come. "Encanto," after a modest $40 million five-day debut last Thanksgiving, went on to earn a stellar $250 million worldwide. Disney will be wishing upon a star that "Wish" can emulate a similar magic carpet ride in theaters.