The hype surrounding the forthcoming movie The Hunger Games has been building for months now. The U.S. premiere took place earlier this week and tonight (March 14, 2012), the UK premiere will be happening in London. Even before The Hunger Games hits the cinemas across the globe, the film has already been hailed as the predecessor to Twilight and Harry Potter.

Late last month (February 24, 2012), MTV reported that The Hunger Games has already overtaken each of the Twilight films when it comes to pre-sales, meaning that movie industry analysts (and no doubt, its makers, Lionsgate) are rubbing their hands with glee for what looks to be a record-breaking box office debut. Like Twilight and Harry Potter, The Hunger Games has been adapted from an existing successful novel for children and teenagers. What sets The Hunger Games apart though, according to The Telegraph, is that it appeals to both male readers and females, where Twilight had a predominantly female audience.

Starring Josh Hutcherson, Jennifer Lawrence and Liam Hemsworth, The Hunger Games has already sold out hundreds of screenings across the United States and it's expected that its dramatic storyline and strong characters will pull in a large UK crowd as well. Zygi Kanasa of Lionsgate apparently believes that Katniss (played by Jennifer Lawrence) provides a much stronger female lead than Kristen Stewart's Bella (from Twilight). "She is in every scene," said Kasana. "It's all about her. And she gives the most brilliant performance as we follow her journey all the way through to the end."