Fandango added that it has sold out more than 2,500 show times for “The Hunger Games” and that the film now ranks behind “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” as the site’s third-biggest advance ticket-seller ever.

　　John Fithian, president of the National Association of Theater Owners in U.S., told reporters that theaters are frantically trying to play “The Hunger Games” on more screens when it opens.

　　In some markets, theaters have added 3 a.m. screenings early Friday morning to meet demand, he said.

　　The new movie “Hunger Games” seems destined to be a big hit. It is a challenging story--a dystopian future in which an oppressive government forces young people into gladiator-type battles-to-the-death.

　　One critic described “Games” as “like ‘American Idol’ with a body count.”

　　“Games” is set somewhere in the future, after the collapse of the United States government, followed by years of civil war.

　　Eventually, a new and oppressive government has asserted itself, controlling a new country called Panem.

　　In Panem, the former America is divided into 12 “districts,” all of them iron-fistedly ruled by a “president” in “the Capitol.”

　　Two young people, one male, one female, from each of the 12 districts are chosen by lottery. These “tributes” are then forced to fight to the death on live television.

　　The “Winter’s Bone” star Jennifer Lawrence plays 16-year-old contestant Katniss Everdeen. As skilled with a bow and arrow as she is soulful (she volunteers to take the spot of a younger sister chosen by lottery to compete), Katniss and her male partner Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) represent District 12, a hardscrabble place.