Fandango announced today that advance ticketing records were set by Lionsgate's upcoming big screen adaptation The Hunger Games, which has already sold out hundreds of showtimes in advance of the film's March 23 release date. Even though the film doesn't open for another month, the first-day ticket sales on Wednesday, February 22 broke the previous first day advance ticket-seller record held by The Twilight Saga: Eclipse on Friday, May 14, 2010.

"'The Hunger Games' is off to a fantastic start," says Rick Butler, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Fandango. "Yesterday we saw the biggest first day advance ticketing sales in our company's nearly 12-year history – which is especially impressive for a March release and a non-sequel."

Theater owners are continuing to add new showtimes, while fans are scooping up advance tickets.

Directed by Gary Ross and based on the Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Wes Bentley, Toby Jones, Alexander Ludwig, Isabelle Fuhrman, Amandla Stenberg, Stanley Tucci and Donald Sutherland.