Final Film In Divergent Trilogy, Allegiant, To Be Split Into Two Parts

Ever since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows split into two parts, almost every other franchise has followed suit. Twilight did it with Breaking Dawn, Hunger Games is doing it with Mockingjay and now, in news that should surprise absolutely no one, Divergent is doing the same with Allegiant.

Lionsgate announced today that the final film in their trilogy will be split into two, with Allegiant – Part 1 opening on March 18th, 2016 and Allegiant – Part 2 arriving a year later, on March 24th, 2017.

While I see why this makes complete sense from a financial standpoint, I do think that it’s getting a bit ridiculous. It’s not like Divergent was so well received that people are just giddy with excitement to see two more instalments, let alone three. With something like The Hunger Games I can kind of understand it, as the first two entires into the franchise were adored by fans and critics. Also, they’re actually really good movies.

Divergent, on the other hand, wasn’t as popular. Admittedly, it wasn’t a total bomb, but I think that most people would definitely call it a bit of a disappointment. It certainly isn’t the next huge YA sensation like many predicted it would be. But, this is Hollywood, and if there’s one thing we all know about Hollywood, it’s that they’ll milk a franchise for all it’s worth as long as there’s profit to be made. Right?

Check out the full press release from Lionsgate below and let us know if you’re happy to hear that Allegiant is being split up into two parts.

THIRD BOOK IN VERONICA ROTH’S BLOCKBUSTER DIVERGENT TRILOGY, ALLEGIANT,

WILL BE PRODUCED AND RELEASED AS TWO SEPARATE FILMS 

Allegiant — Part 1 To Be Released on Lionsgate’s Summit Entertainment Label On March 18, 2016;

Allegiant — Part 2 To Arrive in Theatres Nationwide on March 24, 2017 

SANTA MONICA, CA, and VANCOUVER, BC, April 11, 2014 – Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), a leading global entertainment company, will produce and release Allegiant, starring Shailene Woodley and Theo James and based on the third book in Veronica Roth’s best-selling Divergent trilogy, as two separate films, it was announced today by Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Co-Chairmen Rob Friedman and Patrick Wachsberger.  The Company will release a total of four Divergent films on its Summit Entertainment label, with the next film, Insurgent, which begins production next month, slated for release on March 20, 2015 and Allegiant – Parts 1 & 2 scheduled for release on March 18, 2016, and March 24, 2017, respectively.

The first film in the Divergent franchise is off to a fast start, grossing $117 million at the domestic box office in its first three weeks of release, and it continues its international rollout this weekend with openings in France, Germany, Russia, Australia, Scandinavia and other major territories.  Book sales of the best-selling Divergent series continue to skyrocket with total sales nearing 20 million worldwide and sales of the three-book boxed set and three-book e-bundle increasing 55% last week.  The three books ranked one-two-three on the USA Today best-seller list for 2013.

“Veronica Roth brings her captivating story to a masterful conclusion in Allegiant, a rich, action-packed book with material that is ideally suited to two strong and fulfilling movies,” said Friedman and Wachsberger.  “The storytelling arc and world of the characters lend themselves perfectly to two films, a storytelling strategy that has worked very well for us on the two Twilight Breaking Dawn films and about which we’re tremendously enthusiastic for the two upcoming Mockingjay films of The Hunger Games franchise.”

The Company’s The Hunger Games and The Twilight Saga franchises have collectively grossed more than $5 billion at the worldwide box office, and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is the 10th highest-grossing film of all time.  The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Parts 1 & 2 will be released on November 21, 2014 and November 20, 2015, respectively.

After the cataclysmic events in Insurgent, Tris and Four enter a dangerous new world in Allegiant — Parts 1 & 2 that they no longer recognize.  As new truths are revealed about the past and future, Tris must face impossible choices about courage, allegiance and love to protect the people closest to her.