Gary Ross’ adaptation of Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games has pre-sold over a million tickets online so far as anticipation builds for the film’s debut this coming weekend.  Lionsgate has set its in-house estimates in what now appears to be a very conservative $75 million to $95 million range.  There is no doubt that the movie’s target audience of females under 25 are highly energized to see the movie with 55% of those surveyed saying that the movie is their first choice.

 

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the major Hollywood tracking services are giving estimates of between $82 million and $115 million, with some insiders indicating that even a Dark Knight-type bow is possible if The Hunger Games continues to gain the interest of males and older viewers.  The percentage of males under 25 who say The Hunger Games is their first movie choice has gone from 20% a week ago to 35% today, while for males over 25 that number has risen from 20% to 36%.  If those numbers continue to climb, the movie just might be able to reach the higher levels of expectations.

 

With a huge range in estimates from $75 million to $140 million, it is difficult to predict what the actual number will be with any hope of accuracy.  Certainly anything over $100 million has to be seen as stellar, and Alice in Wonderland’s $116 million March debut record could be very much in jeopardy.