Massive Tracking for 'Hunger Games' Could Mean a $100 Mil Opening

Let the games begin.

our editor recommends

'Hunger Games,' Charlie Sheen Drive Lionsgate Stock to Record Highs

'The Hunger Games' Sets First Day Advance Ticket Sales Record on Fandango

Initial tracking for The Hunger Games -- the film adaptation of Suzanne Collins' novel -- is so strong that box-office observers, along with exhibitors, believe the Lionsgate movie could approach $100 million in its domestic debut. 

PHOTOS: Behind the Scenes of THR's 'Hunger Games' Cover Shoot

Headlining Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth, Hunger Games is sparking the same sort of prerelease interest as the blockbuster Twilight franchise, though that book-to-film series was fueled largely by females.

Hunger Games has the advantage of appealing to more males than Twilight did, though the strongest quadrant for Hunger Games is females younger than 25, according to tracking. That's followed by older women, younger males and older males.

The first Twilight debuted to nearly $70 million in November 2008.

"There's no doubt about it, more males will show up for Hunger Games," one rival studio executive said.

Gary Ross directed Hunger Games, with Nina Jacobson producing.