Divergent trilogy finale, Allegiant, to be split into two films

In the tradition set forth by the HARRY POTTER, TWILIGHT, and THE HUNGER GAMES franchises, yet another young adult series is jumping on the milk it for all it's worth bandwagon. The DIVERGENT trilogy, based on the novels by Veronica Roth, will now see the final chapter, ALLEGIANT, split into two films. The first film in the series, DIVERGENT, had great success at the box office, both domestic and international, which has prompted an increase in book sales, and the birth of a cinematic franchise.

Here's the press release:

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.

Honestly, as much as I'd like to bitch and moan about this, it's not that big of a deal. In the end, even if this is largely a financial move, fans of the franchise will get more of what they love, so it's a win-win. I was glad they split the last HARRY POTTER book as I was a fan myself and wanted to see the story told completely and feel that it worked out well. TWILIGHT is another story entirely, as they struggled to piece together a finale, having to create shit out of thin air. We've yet to see if THE HUNGER GAMES finale, MOCKINGJAY PART 1 & 2, will be worth the double-up. Of course, there's also the matter of splitting one small book, THE HOBBIT, into three LONG films…

DIVERGENT's sequel, INSURGENT, opens on March 20, 2015, with ALLEGIANT PART ONE opening on March 18, 2016 and ALLEGIANT: PART TWO opening on March 24, 2017.