Summary
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakesbecomes a streaming hit after the confirmation of a new franchise prequel. Serving as the latest installment in the popularHunger Gamesfranchise, the film, which is directed by franchise veteran Francis Lawrence, stars Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird, a tribute in the 10th iteration of the titular games who crosses paths with a young Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth). After the generally positiveBallad of Songbirds & Snakesreviews, it’s now been confirmed that a newHunger Gamesbook and movie calledSunrise on the Reapingare on the way.
Following theSunrise on the Reapingconfirmation,Reelgood’s streaming popularity chart reveals thatThe Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakesis the ninth most popular movie on streaming in the U.S. for the week of June 6 – 12. The prequel film beats outThe Boys on the Boat, but loses to movies likeOppenheimer,Saving Private Ryan, andAtlas. Check out the full top 10 movies list below:
What’s Next For The Hunger Games Franchise?
Hitting theaters in November 2023,The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakeswas the first entry in the franchise in eight years, with the previous beingThe Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2in 2015. The prequel film didn’t quite reach the same heights as earlier installments, however. While critics' reviews were generally positive, thefilm currently holds only a 63% onRotten Tomatoes, the lowest of all theHunger Gamesmovies.
While the critics' reception was somewhat lukewarm, the audience response is arguably what savedThe Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. The film’s audience score is much more impressive 89%, which is tied as the highest of the franchise. Thispositive audience reception helped get the film to $337.4 million worldwide, making the movie a financial success.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes Ending Explained
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes ends ambiguously for one major character. We break down the prequel’s ending & what’s next.
The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes' box office, though, is still the lowest of the franchise by a considerable margin, which meant it wasn’t entirely clear what the franchise’s future was. WithSunrise on the Reapingnow confirmed, and with the film set to potentially explore the backstory of Woody Harrelson’s Haymitch, the upcoming film could see the franchise regain the dominance it once had. While many questions remain aboutSunrise on the Reaping, it’s clear thatThe Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakesis now finding renewed success on streaming.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
Cast
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a prequel movie set 64 years before the events of the original movie with Katniss Everdeen. The film centers on a young Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) and shows his rise to power as the leader of Panem. Taking place during the 10th Hunger Games, Snow is tasked with mentoring Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), the tribute from District 12.
