An eight year absence from the screen, a set of new stars and a confused, stumbling “leading up to” prequel narrative didn’t dampen enthusiasm for those “children killing children” “Hunger Games.” Much.

Reviews were mixed, with some critics plainly hitting the cineplex bar before endorsing this violent YA yawner, but the franchise is back. Ish.

A decent Thursday night and nearly $20 million Friday suggest “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” will do very nicely indeed, opening well under $50 million. Of course, the earlier films in the franchise often out-performed that.

You can spin that, saying that “The stars couldn’t promote it” for a month prior to release owing to the SAG-AFTRA strike, but the young stars are lesser knowns, and I’m not sure Viola Davis, Peter Dinklage and the the hilarious Jason Schwartzman are selling tickets by turning up on Fallon, Colbert and Kimmel.

Anyway you cut it, that’s less than half what the “Mockingjay Part 2” opened with in 2015. Well under half. Is the “franchise” reborn? Maybe not.

Rachel Zegler’s still destined to be a big deal, not yet a big deal herself. But getting her out singing on some TV shows might boost it next week. The film could have legs, and if it “sings,” that’ll be on her.

Speaking of singing, those animated “Trolls” are back with a narcoleptic sequel, “Trolls Band Together.” All the bubbly singing and voicing of Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Zooey Deschanel and some newcomers can’t exactly make this “new.” But it’s very very small children.

Chances are, fans of the first film have aged out pabulum and this pablum. A $28 million” opening for that one, a decent take, nothing special. Treat the kids, and yourself to a nap as this “story” plays out.

“The Marvels,” a female superheroine-centered comic book adaptation featuring a fanboy-shunning ($46 million opening) star, is falling off a cliff on its second weekend. It’s lighthearted and girl powered and empowering, and still only seems headed to just over $9 million this weekend. Ouch. a 79% “Five Nights at Freddy’s” sized fall-off.

I still say this is more proof of comic book fatigue/over-exposure than anything else. “Spider-Man” is immune to this. “Dr. Strange,” too. But the lack of star power is hammering the Marvel-come-latelies, and the DCU seems doomed to serious shrinkage. Move most of this content over to streaming.

Eli Roth’s return to Big Screen Horror didn’t do a damned thing for “Thanksgiving,” a seriously bloody/seriously silly horror comedy that gets gassed as it spills its guts. It could clear $10 million, very low opening, all things considered.

You’d think McDreamy’s fans and reviews generally more enthusiastic than mine would have helped. Nah.

That bounce has gone out of Taika Waititi’s step these days, as “Next Goal Wins,” a sputtering comedy that tries to make Michael Fassbender funny, is bombing. On a lot of screens, too. Just under $3 million for this Samoan soccer story.

“Priscilla” is heading towards a Sofia Coppola record in box office take. It’s already her second biggest hit, with a ways to go to catch “Lost in Translation.”

When more data comes in, “Five Nights at Freddy’s” and maybe even Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” will do more business than this one this weekend.