Even though The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is still almost three weeks away from being released, many box office analysts are already predicting that it could make as much as $185 million on opening weekend. It’s worth noting however, that Lionsgate is projecting in the more conservative $140-150 million range which would put it just below the opening of it’s predecessor ($152.5 mil).
While I have no doubts that Hunger Games: Catching Fire will be a big hit, I just don’t see it having an opening just behind The Avengers. For starters, it’s being released in November and $185 million is the kind of opening I tend to expect from a summer movie.
They have also opted to not release it in 3D (a decision I’m kind of grateful for) and have picked a release date (Nov. 22) that puts them in direct competition with the equally hyped Thor: The Dark World being released two weeks before (Nov. 8) and Frozen five days after (Nov.27). Honestly, I think Lionsgate made the right call with low-ball prediction and is pretty much what I’m expecting from their opening weekend (though to be fair I’m hardly an expert).
However, even if Hunger Games: Catching Fire‘s opening weekend does come up short of analysts lofty expectations, it can still break some box-office records. Currently the record holder for highest opening weekend in November is Twilight: New Moon with $142 million which would be just about in line the projections made by Lionsgate.
How well do you think Hunger Games: Catching Fire will do? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below.
Source: IGN
