Hunger Games director Francis Lawrence expresses regret over releasing Mockingjay in two parts

Francis Lawrence, the man in charge of adapting The Hunger Games books for the big screen, recently talked about one critical decision he made regarding the adaptations. He acknowledged the displeasure that the year-long interval between the two chapters had caused among viewers, reviewers, and even his crew. Despite certain creative benefits, Lawrence admitted to seeing the downside of this decision.

In the early 2010s, The Hunger Games film series was soaring in popularity, with each installment raking in substantial box office success. However, it was the adaptation of Mockingjay, the final book in Suzanne Collins' trilogy, that prompted a pivotal decision: dividing it into two separate films. In stark contrast to the previous division, in his recent interview, Lawrence declared that he would never entertain the idea of splitting the upcoming prequel.

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Splitting The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - A decision with regrets

In a recent interview with People magazine, Lawrence admitted:

“I totally regret it. I totally do. I’m not sure everybody does, but I definitely do.”

This division, in the opinion of Francis Lawrence and his colleagues, made sense creatively at the time, since it allowed for a deeper investigation of the source material. It gave space for the characters to grow, the environment to be built, and the topics that were crucial to Mockingjay to be addressed.

Lawrence further added:

“In an episode of television, if you have a cliffhanger, you have to wait a week or you could just binge it and then you can see the next episode. But making people wait a year, I think, came across as disingenuous, even though it wasn’t. Our intentions were not to be disingenuous.”

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A bold stance on the Hunger Games prequel

The admissions Francis Lawrence made about his regrets about Mockingjay provided insight into how he approached The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. Due to its length, this planned prequel, which is based on Suzanne Collins' book, poses a distinct difficulty.

Learning from past criticisms and recognizing the challenges posed by dividing a narrative, he opted for a longer single movie instead.

Lawrence said about the new film in the same interview,

“I would never let them split the book in two. There was never a real conversation about it. It’s a long book, but we got so much sh*t for splitting Mockingjay into two — from fans, from critics, from everybody — that I was like, ‘No way. I’ll just make a longer movie.’”

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The success of the Hunger Games franchise

The Hunger Games, released in 2012, set records for its opening day and the largest opening weekend for an original intellectual property (IP).

Catching Fire, the sequel released in 2013, achieved the biggest opening weekend for a November release. Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014) boasted the largest opening day and weekend of 2014.

The Hunger Games franchise ranks as the 21st highest-grossing film franchise of all time, with a global box office revenue exceeding $2.97 billion. The prequel film, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, based on Collins' 2020 novel, is set to continue the legacy, adding another chapter to this remarkable cinematic journey.

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In conclusion

Francis Lawrence's open admission about the way Mockingjay was divided sheds light on the decision-making process that goes into crafting successful book-to-movie adaptations.

As the franchise ventures into new territory with the prequel, fans can rest assured that the lessons from the past have guided the director's approach. Lawrence's bold decision to keep the prequel as a single, longer movie showcases his dedication to creating an immersive and seamless cinematic journey.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is scheduled for release on November 17, 2023.