(NECN/NBC News: Mark Barger) - If "The Hunger Games" was the spark, "Catching Fire" has potential to become a full-fledged conflagration.
Dave Karger, Chief Correspondent of fandango.com said, "I think people are going to go back and see it twice, three times and maybe even four times."
The fan frenzy for the film's stars at last week's London premiere provided evidence that people are excited.
Jennifer Lawrence, who plays “Katniss Everdeen,” said, "It's really crazy. It’s nuts. There's so many people and they're all screaming!"
That fevered anticipation, combined with generally positive reviews for this second of four films, have expectations running high.
Vice Chairman of Lionsgate Films Michael Burns said, “We don't want to be the guy that spikes the football on the 5 yard line, but we feel very good about the movie.”
The optimism is fueled by the appeal of the franchise's post-apocalyptic storyline with young adults.
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The first movie had the biggest non-summer opening weekend ever of $152 million.
Josh Hutcherson, who plays “Peeta Mellark,” said, "The passion that some of the fans have and how much it means to them, and they say, like, 'It means the world to me, it means everything to me. I've read the book 50 times. I've seen the movie 30 times.’"
That's why many observers expect "Catching Fire" to live up to its title at the box office for weeks to come.
Karger said, "It's going to have a gargantuan Thanksgiving as well, and even though there's a lot of big movies coming out at Christmas time, I think “Catching Fire” is still going to hold on quite well."
The film sets the stage for the series' third film, "Mockingjay," next November.
