BuddyThomas
Well-Known Member
The book sold 500,000 copies in its first week of release. Not sure how you think it won't be popular.
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Live-Action ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’
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TP2000
Well-Known Member
At least you're ahead of me.
I didn't even know this Hunger Games movie coming out next month existed, much less that it starred Rachel Zegler, until @BuddyThomas kept mentioning it in this thread as a reason why Miss Zegler was a really big deal.
I've not heard a single person talk about any Hunger Games anything the past few weeks. But I have a couple of sociables to go to over the next few days, so I'll see if it comes up. Somehow, based on those box office sales projections... I doubt it.
erasure fan1
Well-Known Member
I didn't say it won't be popular. I said I don't see a lot of hype around it so it will be interesting to see how it goes. Is 500,000 copies good? I know the first potter book did a few million it's first weekend and that was brand new. What I think is the film isn't certain of anything. Would I be shocked if it does 650mil? Nope. Would I be shocked if it did 250mil? Nope. I think the only thing that would surprise me is if it does over a billion. The first Percy Jackson book sold nearly 2mil copies and only managed 226mil at the box office. It's more about the quality of the film than anything else. That's why it will be interesting to see how it plays out.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
I had to Google that just now, because like you, I have no idea if 500,000 books being sold was good or not. What I came up with is this, with a comparison to the last Harry Potter book to come out as I think that is a very fair audience demographic comparison to The Hunger Games.
As of April, 2023, Google says the following number of books have been sold...
Hunger Games Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, 2020 = 3.5 Million copies
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, 2007 = 66 Million copies
3 and a half Million books is almost exactly 1% of the US population. The question remains, is that good for book sales? And how does it equate to movie ticket sales?
Disney Irish
Premium Member
The better equivalent is the number of copies sold on each Hunger Games book -
The Hunger Games = ~28M copies
Catching Fire = ~19M copies
Mockingjay = ~18M copies
Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes = ~3.5M copies
Though I wouldn't put much credence into it as I don't think audiobooks are counted which are bigger now than when the first books were released. Not to mention there are more fans of the movies than the books themselves.
Dranth
Well-Known Member
Don't know but I would be surprised if anything Hunger Games related did well at the box office in 2023 regardless of who stars in it. I admit I could easily be wrong, but it really feels like a nonfactor.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
Interesting. So what's your take on why box office projections and advance ticket sales are so low for this next Hunger Games installment starring Rachel Zegler?
I would agree. Again, I had no idea this upcoming Hunger Games movie even existed, until @BuddyThomas kept bringing it up in this thread as an example of how popular Rachel Zegler is with audiences who will allegedly flock to the theaters to also see her in Snow White next March.
I'm skeptical the Zegler Effect is a thing, much less a thing that is a net positive for the box office.
Tha Realest
Well-Known Member
This appears to be the third film starring Rachel Zegler that will underperform at the box office. Maybe the fourth time’s a charm? Paddington 3 could have reversed that trend but she had to be recast due to the strike under a SAG-AFTRA rule that seemingly only applies to her and none of her costars.
Dranth
Well-Known Member
I think he was more referring to the popularity of Hunger Games bringing people in where they would then get a chance to see her vs. people going because she was in it but I could be wrong about his intent.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
Oh, that makes sense. Either way, it does not look like this next Hunger Games movie will be Rachel Zegler's first blockbuster.
Maybe Snow White will do that for her career? Although...
erasure fan1
Well-Known Member
Personally I don't think she's known well enough for her to effect anything just because it's her. What she says can hurt a film because it will get repeated. But will anyone say forget hunger games because Zegler is in it? I'm going to say no. Now if Hunger games is a disappointment, and snow white also underperforms? Then the narrative of the actress who everything she's in fails, could become a problem for her career.
Disney Irish
Premium Member
My take is that number of books sold does not equate to the same number of tickets sold for a movie based on said book.
As for the "why" advance tickets are so low, many factors including the streaming effect and high ticket prices. As has been discussed many times in the other threads, we are in a new era of content distribution. More folks are willing to wait to see a movie then they are to venture out and buy tickets. There will always be outliers that buck the trend, but the trend is clear year-over-year ticket sales are down and have been for years even before the pandemic.
The Box Office is no longer the sole determining factor on whether a movie is successful or not, as has been discussed many times in the various threads here.
Tha Realest
Well-Known Member
The four previous films earned a combined $3 billion. A box office success should be a layup no matter who’s starring!Oh, that makes sense. Either way, it does not look like this next Hunger Games movie will be Rachel Zegler's first blockbuster.
Maybe Snow White will do that for her career? Although...
Surely any moderately known and likable lead actor in this new film should guarantee a certain level of success?
Chi84
Premium Member
If the film isn’t successful, it’s because of the actor not being likable enough to guarantee it? What is your problem with this particular actor?
erasure fan1
Well-Known Member
True, but the trajectory was going the wrong way. The last film, while not a failure by any means, was the lowest of the series. It made a profit for sure but it was considered a disappointment. Now that doesn't mean the new film will be a failure but it does give me some reservations on it being a guaranteed hit.
Tha Realest
Well-Known Member
That’s how Hollywood has always worked. A film’s performance is often seen, in part, as a referendum on the drawing power of its stars.
In this instance we have a successful and proven IP, from a popular book series. It has a built in audience already.
Chi84
Premium Member
Didn't you just say it's a film no one wants?
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
Tell that to the makers of the latest Mission: Impossible film.
Or to those responsible for Fast X.
Tha Realest
Well-Known Member
In part because of the choice of lead actors. We’ll see how well it does in a few weeks!