Reaching fever pitch: New Hunger Games trailer continues to ratchet up the hype for hotly-tipped adaptation
Movie bosses are hoping it will be a blockbuster movie franchise in the mould of Twilight.
And they are continuing to ratchet up the hype for The Hunger Games, with a new trailer giving further insight into how the popular book series is being adapted.
This teaser focuses on Jennifer Lawrence's heroine character Katniss Everdeen, an ordinary girl from Panem - a post-apocalyptic North America - with the film being set more than 700 years in the future.
It starts with her comforting her little sister Primrose, giving her a special pin she got her as a gift.
She tells her: 'As long as you have it nothing bad will happen to you, I promise.'
Katniss lives with her mother and sister in District 12, one of the poorest districts which surround the controlling central Capitol.
As punishment for a previous rebellion, every year one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 from each district are selected by lottery called 'the reaping' and forced to participate in the brutal Hunger Games, a televised event in which they must fight to the death.
On the upside, people who volunteer for the draw get extra grain and oil for their family.
Unfortunately for Primrose, her name is drawn by Capitol employee Effie Trinket, even though it was her first entry.
Katniss is distraught after dodging the bullet for years, and offers to take part in her sister's stead.
Before she begins training for the event she is given a pep talk by her close friend Gale, who is played by Liam Hemsworth, who says: 'you're stronger than they are.'
He also promises to protect her family.
She is then seen on a talk show alongside Stanley Tucci's character Caesar Flickerman for her televised pre-Games interview.
He asks her: 'What did you say to your sister when you volunteered at the reaping?
She replies: 'I told her that I would try to win for her.'
He mockingly replies: 'And try you will.'
The start of the games is then shown, with fellow contestant Peeta Mellark, played by Josh Hutcherson saying: 'I just keep wishing I could think of a way to show them they don't own me. If I die I wanna still be me.'
In many ways it looks similar to the popular Arnold Schwarzenegger 1987 film The Running Man, in which the muscle man took part in a deadly game show where criminals can win their freedom by evading armed and deadly stalkers.
The best-selling Suzanne Collins novel takes place in a similarly dystopian world.
Jennifer has said she is very excited about the prospect of going from indie favourite to movie star if the film is a hit.
She said 'I knew that as soon as I said "yes," my life would change.'
And I walked around thinking "It's not too late, I could still go back and do indies. I haven't said "yes" yet, it's not too late.'
However the prospect of stardom was too tempting to turn down, and she eventually took the role.
She added: 'I love this story and if I had said no, I would regret it every day.'
The picture is set to be released on March 23.