'The Hunger Games' Popularity Attracts Online Ticket Sales, Smashes Box Office

The Hunger Games, a post-apocalyptic film about a dystopian society, smashed box-office records by collecting a staggering $155 million on opening weekend.

The movie, based on the book trilogy by Suzanne Collins, was one of the most anticipated films of 2012; it doesn’t come as a surprise that Fandango, the nation's leading moviegoer destination, sold 22 percent of opening weekend ticket sales for The Hunger Games.

Fandango sold around 17 tickets per second over the weekend and the movie broke many previous records, according to the internet firm. The Hunger Games now has the distinction of selling the most tickets ever on opening weekend via mobile on Fandango; the previous record-holder was "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2." 

Friday, March 23 was also the top day for mobile ticket sales in Fandango’s 12-year history, and the movie has become March’s best-seller.

Through the hype surrounding the announcement, the film notched accolades including Fandango's top-selling mobile weekend and top-selling single day (March 23, 2012) for a movie, besting "The Dark Knight" opening day on July 18, 2008.

The Hunger Games” has reshaped Fandango's list of top 5 shares of opening weekends, now listed as follows:

1. "The Hunger Games" (2012) – 22%

2. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" (2011) - 19% 

3. "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" (2009) – 18% 

4. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1" (2010) - 17% 

5. "Sex and the City" (2008) - 16%

“Fandango's record- breaking percentage is a testament to the growing popularity of online and mobile ticketing as the way to go to the movies," said Fandango Executive Vice President and General Manager Rick Butler. "It's rare to see the first film in a franchise performing like an established sequel, but 'The Hunger Games' is a true phenomenon. Fans have given it our highest 'Must Go!" rating, with Web and mobile ticket sales still going strong on Monday."