At theaters around the country last night it was "Hunger Games" hysteria. "I've been excited for a whole year, now," said one fan.

Midnight screenings of the widely anticipated book adaptation. "At Fandango, we're selling ten tickets a second, so it's going to be really big," said a representative from the online ticketing company.

It's excitement among young fans reminiscent of Twilight's transition from book phenomenon to big screen blockbuster, but "The Hunger Games" has potential to be even bigger. "It's a commentary on fame, governmental control, a lot of big time themes, big ticket themes are in this movie that'll have an appeal to older audiences as well."

But violent images of teens forced by the government to fight each other to the death could give some parents pause about the PG-13 film. "I have an 11 year old. She would be freaked out for years if she saw this film. But 13 and above, I think, can handle the violence."

And with weekend box office projections between 130 and 140 million dollars, "the hunger
Games" is almost certain to turn its 21 year-old star, Jennifer Lawrence, into a household name. "I gave myself a few days to iron everything out and go over my priorities and kissing my personal life goodbye," said the film's star.

With at least two sequels likely on the horizon, "The Hunger Games" series could generate an appetite among movie fans for years to come.