Will Terrorism Fears Hurt Weekend Box Office?

As theaters gear up for the first big blockbuster weekend of the holiday season, the world is jittery over the recent terrorist attacks in Paris and the threat of more attacks by the terrorists. In Paris, where the city is still reeling, moviegoers were reluctant to go out to theaters when the week's new movies opened on Wednesday. It remains to be seen whether or not the nervousness has a worldwide reach.

The big release of the week, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2, had a muted debut in Paris, with paid admissions coming in at only about half of those chalked up by the first half of Mockingjay when it premiered last year. According to The Hollywood Reporter, overall box office in Paris was down 21 percent compared to the same day last year.

In the United States, the Hunger Games film is expected to be a roaring success, with gross earnings of about $120 million over the weekend. Despite implied threats of attacks on New York City by the terrorists claiming responsibility for the Paris attacks, nervousness in America seems muted and may not have a major effect on moviegoing this weekend. Fear can hurt box-office performance, however, as was apparent in 2012, when ticket sales took a brief dive after a mass shooting during a screening of The Dark Knight Rises.