Presales for “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” made up 70 percent of online ticket broker Fandango’s business Tuesday, the first day tickets to Lionsgate’s blockbuster sequel became available.
The online ticket broker said Wednesday morning that the film and was ahead of all current releases by an 8-1 margin were outpacing pre-sales of all previous wide releases 50 days before release .
Movietickets.com reported a similar sales surge Wednesday, with “Catching Fire” advance sales accounting for 52 percent of all tickets sold.
Also read: ‘Hunger Games’ Sequels: ‘Catching Fire’ Director Francis Lawrence to Direct ‘Mockingjay’ Films, Too
“Catching Fire” hits theaters worldwide on Nov. 22, and is expected to do even better than the first “Hunger Games” at the box office. That one brought in $690 million after opening to $152 million in March of last year.
Also read: Katniss Everdeen Prepares to Battle With a Bow on New ‘Catching Fire’ Poster (Photo)
Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson reprise their roles in “Catching Fire,” in which Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark become targets of the Capitol after their victory in the Hunger Games sparks a rebellion.
Francis Lawrence is directing and Nina Jacobson is producing.