Hunger Games director says he ‘totally regrets’ Mockingjay decision that led to fan criticism

Hunger Games director Francis Lawrence has admitted he “totally regrets” the decision to split the franchise’s third film, Mockingjay, into two parts.

Lawrence took over adapting the final two titles in Suzanne Collins’ popular dystopian book trilogy from director Gary Ross, who directed the first film in 2012.

Following the release of Catching Fire in 2013, Lawrence returned to the director’s chair for the final adaptation of the author’s third book, Mockingjay.

Instead of packing the entirety of the source material into one lengthy film, it was split into two parts – a decision that fans criticised for being “unnecessary” at the time.

“I’m not sure everybody [regrets it], but I definitely do,” Lawrence told People in a new interview.

Mockingjay – Part 1 was released in 2014, followed by Mockingjay – Part 2 a year later.

“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,” he explained.

Some directors have faced criticism from audiences for choosing to release their movies in two parts, which can be seen as a money-making tactic.

“Our intentions were not to be disingenuous,” Lawrence assured. “What I realised in retrospect – and after hearing all the reactions and feeling the kind of wrath of fans, critics and people at the split – is that I realised it was frustrating.”

So while he acknowledged that “we got more on the screen out of the book than we would’ve in any of the other movies because you’re getting close to four hours of screen time for the final book” he said he understood “how it frustrated people”.

Now, as the filmmaker returns for the forthcoming prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, Lawrence said he’s learnt his lesson from the initial fan backlash.

“I would never let them split the book in two,” Lawrence said. “There was never a real conversation about it. It’s a long book, but we got so much s*** for splitting Mockingjay into two – from fans, from critics, from everybody – that I was like, ‘No way. I’ll just make a longer movie.’”

Set 60 years before the events of the original trilogy, led by actor Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes will focus on the backstory of the Games’ oppressive president, Coriolanus Snow – portrayed by actor Donald Sutherland in the original franchise – and his mentorship of Lucy Gray (Rachel Zegler).

In addition to West Side Story breakout Zegler, actor Tom Blyth will play the 18-year-old Snow, while Viola Davis and Euphoria’s Hunter Schafer also feature in key roles.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes releases in cinemas on 17 November.