Lionsgate reached a deal with SAG-AFTRA to allow the cast of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes including Rachel Zegler to participate in promotion of the film in the lead up to its theatrical debut on November 17th.
Variety’s Rebecca Rubin and Angelique Jackson report, “The Hunger Games prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes has received an interim agreement from SAG-AFTRA, which means that stars Zegler, Blyth, Viola Davis, Peter Dinklage and Hunter Schafer are allowed to promote the film before it premieres in theaters on Nov. 17.”
As for why Lionsgate was granted an interim agreement it’s unclear.
Nevertheless, Zegler has already begun promoting the film by sharing various film posters to her social media.
She also shared a statement that reads, “I am so beyond thankful to Lionsgate and SAG-AFTRA for working so hard throughout this strike to come to an agreement, allowing us to participate in press and promotion for our film, which comes to theaters on november 17.”
“Lionsgate’s efforts are proof that studios, big and small, can meet us in a place of fairness for their films and the people who work so hard to make them,” Zegler added.
She continued, “Making this movie was hands-down one of the best experiences of my life thus far. i cannot wait to share more behind-the-scenes content with you all, the fans, who make experiences like this eight million times better. there will be lots of all my beautiful friends from the cast, as well as appreciation for our crew, which is filled with people i love so deeply. (so watch this space! there’s more to come.)
“cannot believe i get to say this, with only a few weeks to spare, but… see you out there on our press tour!”, she concluded.
Rubin and Jackson believe that allowing Zegler and the rest of The Hunger Games’ cast to promote the film “could be a huge help in getting people to go to the movies around Thanksgiving.”
The film needs all the help it can get given initial predictions for the film’s box office from Box Office Pro’s Shawn Robbins claims the movie will only gross between $35 million and $45 million in its opening weekend at the domestic box office.
Robbins also predicts the movie will only gross between $90 million and $142 million in its entire domestic run.
If those predictions turn out to be accurate, the movie would have the worst opening weekend in The Hunger Games franchise history.
The previous worst opening weekend in the Hunger Games franchise was 2015’s The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2. The film grossed a total of $102.6 million in its opening weekend. It went on to earn $281.7 million in its domestic run.
The original The Hunger Games film had an opening weekend of $152.5 million back in 2012. It went on to gross $408 million at the domestic box office.
The sequel, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire had the biggest opening weekend in franchise history with a $158 million haul in 2013. It went on to gross a total of $424.6 million at the domestic box office.
Finally, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 had an opening weekend of $121.8 million. It grossed a total of $337.1 million domestically.
What do you make of Zegler and the cast of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes being able to promote the film? Do you think it will help the film’s box office?