The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes did a pretty great job reviving The Hunger Games franchise, and fans of the original series couldn’t wait to see it on the big screen. This prequel exceeded box office expectations and it didn’t take it long to cross the $200 million mark worldwide.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes hit the theaters on November 17 and went on to top the box office for two weeks in a row. Despite scoring the lowest start of the franchise with a $100.8 million opening, this film became somewhat of a sleeper hit and continued defying box office projections.
Less than two weeks after its premiere, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes crossed the $200 million mark at the global box office, with $100.5 million earned in North America alone. It’s only the second Lionsgate film to reach this number in 2023, following John Wick: Chapter 4.
The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes tells the origin story of the young Coriolanus Snow, decades before he became the tyrannical president of Panem. Tom Blyth and Rachel Zegler lead the film’s ensemble cast, which also includes Peter Dinklage, Jason Schwartzman, Hunter Schafer, Josh Andrés Rivera, and Viola Davis.
