The start of a new franchise is erupting and starts this Friday as “The Hunger Games” comes to theaters. So will leading lady, Katniss Everdeen of “The Hunger Games” survive among the rest or will Twilight’s Bella Swan take the throne once again? The battle of the movie franchises has begun again with a newcomer. Which team you on, #TeamTwilight or #TeamHungerGames?
The world was exposed to J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” in 2001 and Stephanie Meyers’ “Twilight” in 2008. Both have received tremendous revenue, record breaking box office numbers on opening week and have been named as two of the most profitable movie franchises in history. But a new franchise known as “The Hunger Games” is forming in 2012. Does anyone know anything about this movie?
“The Hunger Games” is the story of a girl who volunteers herself as tribute in her younger sister’s place to enter a game of twisted punishment for a past uprising and ongoing government intimidation tactics. Each teenage boy and girl plays survival of the fittest, as they must fight one another until one survivor remains.
I’m not so much a fan off the gate. Let’s be honest, the world of wizardry at Hogwarts and the vampires residence in Forks has pulled in so many individuals that people are not ready for a new film interfering with their Harry Potter and the love of Bella and Edward…and Jacob.
But on the other side, “The Hunger Games” has books, memorabilia and a massive global following. The first novel of the trilogy sold over 26 million copies in the US and spent 180 consecutive weeks on The New York Times bestseller list since publication in 2008. I see it is following the path “Harry Potter” and “Twilight” took so who knows what “The Hunger Games” will do within its three book rotation. Are we foreseeing three films to accommodate three books? Who knows, but if “The Hunger Games” wants the same reaction and possibly a #TeamHungerGames group to compete with #TeamTwilight or #TeamHarryPotter, it needs to have a sold out crowd among theaters worldwide. Though Harry Potter is finished, they are still getting awards and revenue. But “The Hunger Games” has to deal with the release of the final Twilight film, “Breaking Dawn Part 2” in November.
With Twilight conquering the award season year after year, ‘”The Hunger Games” will be a friendly competitor but generally they will lose.
The start of a new franchise is erupting and starts this Friday as “The Hunger Games” comes to theaters. So will leading lady, Katniss Everdeen of “The Hunger Games” survive among the rest or will Twilight’s Bella Swan take the throne once again? The battle of the movie franchises has begun again with a newcomer. Which team you on, #TeamTwilight or #TeamHungerGames?
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- Erik Veal, Online Editor