"The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" blazed straight to the top of weekend movie charts, setting a U.S. and Canadian record for November ticket sales and hauling in a huge $307.7 million around the world.

Fans poured into theaters for the second installment in the series starring Jennifer Lawrence as heroine Katniss, the skilled archer who becomes a beacon of hope for repressed people.

Paul Dergarabedian is a senior analyst for media tracking agency Rentrak.

SOUNDBITE, Paul Dergarabedian, Senior Media Analyst for Rentrak, saying:

"'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' had a pretty incredible opening weekend in North America with 161.1 million dollars (USD), that's the biggest November opening of all time, and the fourth biggest opener of all time, overall, in North America"

Speaking at the London world premiere, one of the movie's stars, Liam Hemsworth, explained its appeal.

SOUNDBITE, Liam Hemsworth, actor, saying:

'For a lot of young people they loo