Gary Ross’ The Hunger Games earned $19.7 million in midnight runs, one of the bestshowings ever at the domestic box office as fans rushed to see the book-to-film adaptation.

Hunger Games, playing in more than 2,500 theaters, scored the best midnight gross ever for anonsequel and the seventh-best midnight gross overall, The Hollywood Reporter said.

By comparison, The Dark Knight earned $17 million in midnight runs in 2008, and Star Wars:Episode III - Revenge of the Sith did $17 million three years earlier. The past three Twilightfilms all grossed $26 million to $30 million in midnight runs, while Harry Potter and the DeathlyHallows Part 2 is the all-time leader at $43.5 million.

Toplined by Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth, Hunger Games isbased on the best-selling young-adult novel by Suzanne Collins. Interest in the film is massive,according to tracking, with some box-office observers believing Hunger Games could open northof $130 million domestically.

Hunger Games whipped up enormous presale business, breaking records for a nonsequel,according to online ticketing services Fandango and MovieTickets.