Thanksgiving Box Office: ‘Hunger Games’ Pulls Ahead of Disney’s ‘Wish,’ ‘Napoleon’ Outpacing Projections

variety.com:

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” continue to stretch ahead of new releases like Disney’s animated adventure “Wish” and Apple and Sony’s historical epic “Napoleon.” Lionsgate’s young adult drama gobbled up another $11.4 millionon Friday, adding onto the $13.2 million it nabbed across Wednesday and Thursday. “Songbirds and Snakes” is looking to be the foremost beneficiary of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, with rivals projecting a 40% drop over the traditional three-day frame.

Things seemed up in the air for “The Hunger Games” prequel after its $44 million opening last weekend. With a crowded theatrical marketplace and some lukewarm reviews, it wasn’t a sure thing that the Lionsgate release would still be able to draw a crowd after its fan-driven debut.

But it isn’t only sticking around; it’s outpacing the newcomers. “Songbirds and Snakes” has a shot at nudging past a $100 million domestic gross through its first ten days of release.

Meanwhile, Disney’s “Wish” has fallen behind the projections that had it pegged to open on top of the box office. The animated feature took in $7.9 million on Friday from 3,900 theaters, pushing its running domestic tally to $20.2 million.