The Hunger Games trailer has dropped!

At last! The long-awaited theatrical trailer of “The Hunger Games” – director Gary Ross’ filmic adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ bestselling novel – has finally hit the internet!

“The Hunger Games” is anticipated to be one of 2012’s hottest movies and with its rapidly growing fanbase, might just become the next big film franchises.

“The Hunger Games” chronicles a dystopic Capitol which requires its twelve subjugated districts to pay tribute in the form of a teenage boy and girl, forced to participate in the annual “Hunger Games,” a fight-to-the-death live televised event. Katniss Everdeen’s little sister Primose (Willow Shields) is chosen in the lottery to participate and Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) volunteers to take her place. Although survival against the odds is commonplace for Katniss, she must start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love in order to win the games and return home.

The film also stars Liam Hemsworth as Katniss’ best friend Gale Hawthorne, Josh Hutcherson as fellow District 12 Tribute Peeta Mellark, Woody Harrelson as District 12 Hunger Games Victor Haymitch Abernathy, Elizabeth Banks as District 12’s Capitol Represenative Effie Trinket and Lenny Kravitz as Cinna, Katniss’ Hunger Games Stylist.

The trailer features some of the book’s iconic moments – including Katniss’ frantic volunteering to take her sister’s place, a heated discussion with Gale before Katniss departs for the games, her makeover by stylist Cinna into the “Girl on Fire” and of course, all 24 tributes being launched into the arena.

As a Hunger Games aficionado, I have to admit – the trailer blew me away. Though it wasn’t quite the Panem I had pictured in my head, it was still wonderfully compatible with the world that Collins has created. If, judging by the tears welling in my eyes from certain moments in the trailer – particularly the reaping – the full-length feature is bound to be as emotionally charged as the books were and no less gripping.

What do you think of the full-length trailer? Sound off in the comments section below!