Critics praise Jennifer Lawrence in “Mockingjay – Part 2”

“Mockingjay – Part 2”, the final “Hunger Games” film, soared to a $101 million opening in its first weekend in theaters, according to Rentrak estimates Sunday.

Jennifer Lawrence, who is the lead star in the new movie “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2”, can be seen in most marketing materials for the film.

“The Hunger Games” got a grand global sendoff this weekend as the final film in the mega-grossing series racked up $247 million worldwide.

Lionsgate split the final book in Suzanne Collins’ trilogy into two films, following the precedent of “Twilight” and “Harry Potter” whose box office peaked with the final instalments.

Meanwhile, Julia Roberts and Nicole Kidman look to have teamed for a bomb in “Secret in Their Eyes”, a remake of an Argentinian thriller from STX Entertainment. Director Francis Lawrence even admitted that he would love to return to the series, albeit on one very important condition.

Director Brian Helgeland’s Legend, starring Tom Hardy, also opened in four theaters in Los Angeles and NY, grossing $83,000 for a location average of $20,271. The $26 million, R-rated comedy hopes to remain a strong draw for younger moviegoers, buoyed by an A- CinemaScore.

But the US Oscar winner’s pose on promotional posters for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 with bow and arrow will not be seen by residents of two Israeli cities. Mockingjay-Part 1 earned $121.9 million domestically. This movie will become the biggest hit of 2015.

Investors in Lionsgate, the studio behind the series, reacted negatively to news that “Mockingjay – Part 2” would miss projections, sending the company’s stock down more than 3% on Friday.

Hunger Games star Donald Sutherland is full of praise for his co-star Jennifer Lawrence. “On the last day it was so emotional, and we kind of couldn’t let go of each other”, she says. “If we live in a world where a $100 million opening is a disappointment, that’s pretty insane”. The earnings while substantial for a new release are the lowest opening earnings in the franchise. The first “Hunger Games” reeled in $19.7 million from midnight shows in March 2012.

“Mockingjay 2” will bring in about $48 million on Friday, including $16 million in Thursday night previews.