As anticipation builds for the release of the first instalment of the forthcoming Hunger Games franchise, Entertainment Weekly confirming that the movie has officially outsold any other non-sequel movie in history, on advanced ticket sales.

According to the report, posted yesterday (March 20, 2012), over 2,000 screenings have already sold out, with more expected to follow. As yet, the movie hasn't quite broken the official list of top five advance ticket sellers which are, in order from the highest: The Twilight Saga: New Moon, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part Two, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part One, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part One. In the recent history of franchise movies, the sequels tend to out-perform their predecessors in terms of advance sales. But the juggernaut of hype surrounding this Hunger Games debut suggests that box office sales are likely to be at least $100 million for the opening weekend, which could well nudge it into that Top 5 list, by Thursday.

The Hunger Games, directed by Gary Ross, stars the Oscar-nominated Jennifer Lawrence as well as Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth. Set in a future North America, each year, one boy and one girl are selected to take part in a televised fight to the death. The Hunger Games follows the story of Katniss Everdeen, who volunteers to take her younger sister's place in the battle.