The best way to tell how popular a movie has been is to check box office reports. If this is true, you can conclude on your own that the Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part 2 does not disappoint. As of December seventh, domestic box office sales had reached $228,735,455 and is still growing.
This movie, being the last of the Hunger Games trilogy, and also being in two parts, had an air of anticipation around it. Audiences and experts both expected great things and this final good bye met those expectations.
“The last movie went past my expectations, it blew me away,” junior Julie Rice said. “By far my favorite of the movies.”
Senior Audrey Blake agrees and thinks that splitting it into two parts helped.
“I don’t think they would’ve gotten all of the correct information if they did it in one.”
Danny DiGiamcomo, marketing manager for Southern Theatres, a parent theatre for AmStar Cinemas, the Grand Theatre and Movie Tavern, believes popularity for this series has gained speed over time as each movie was released leading to this epic end.
“I think these movies, the more they come out the more popular they get, more people are aware of them,” DiGiamcomo said. “I think being so wildly popular to begin with, they probably only got more popular as time’s gone on.”
Movies that come from a book series tend to bring a good crowd.
“I think it was so popular because it’s a widely successful book franchise and adapting it into movies that are not only full of big stars but are good movies and audiences respond to the quality,” DiGiamcomo said.
Staying true to the books, especially when they are so popular is key in keeping the audience happy.
“Everything in the books and movies, it’s pretty much how I imagined it,” Blake said. “I think the movie directors did a good job comparing to the books.”
Besides being part of a popular series, there are many reasons of why this movie was so successful.
“[They] are really popular right now, like the futuristic, dystopian societies, because it kind of relates to modern day society in a more extreme way, so I think people like to see that kind of stuff,” Blake said. “And also having actors like Liam Hemsworth in it definitely brings in a big crowd,” she added with a laugh.
To DiGiamcomo, the most important thing is that the movie connects with the audience.
“I think that it’s all about finding a movie that resonates with audiences and something about these did,” he said.
To Rice it’s all about how captivating the movie is.
“I think they are popular because it’s a good mix of action and romance which many people love,” she said. “I like the Hunger Games because it never fails to surprise me, the movies are just so suspenseful.”