‘The Hunger Games’ director avoids past ‘mistakes’ in new film

The Hungers Games: Mockingjay was split into two parts. Many fans were outraged, mainly due to the gap between them. Learning from his previous feedback, the director Francis Lawrence ruled out the division even if it shot up the runtime.

Talking to GamesRadar+, the filmmaker said, “I did not want to split them into two, we got too much heat splitting Mockingjay into two previously.”

He continued, “So I was like, ‘I don’t care if this movie is long, we’re going to do one satisfying movie that has a clear beginning, middle, and an end.'”

Previously, the 52-year-old acknowledged to People about his regrets dividing the films.

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

He continued, “What I realized 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 realized it was frustrating,” he said. “And I can understand it.”

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes will hit the cinemas on November 17.