And so it has begun — “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” took in $25.2 million domestically in late Thursday/early Friday showings.

That number bests the $19.7 million earned by the original in 2012 by a cool 28%. Opening in 43 territories internationally, the movie also took in another $32 million, with some territories seeing an opening twice as big as the first “Hunger Games.”

Fandango, the online movie ticket site, says the movie is the top ticket seller of the year, in terms of advance ticket sales, eclipsing box office titan “Iron Man 3.”

The movie is on track to break the record for a domestic opening weekend in November, with estimates as high as $160 million.

PHOTOS: “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” LA Premiere