“Hunger Games: Catching Fire” is going to be big. Scratch that: huge. But that’s not really what everyone’s wondering. The real question is, how huge?

Hitting the theaters today, “Catching Fire” is going to be a great way for students to start their Thanksgiving Break.

Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) take on their repressive government and battle opponents during the Quarter Quell at the 75th Annual Hunger Games in Suzanne Collins’ novel-turned-movie, “Catching Fire.”

Fans around the world hope the movie will be just as good as the book.

“[The books] are really good,” said junior Yasmin Vahabzadeh. “I think [Catching Fire] will be just as good as the first movie.”

With the 2012 movie, “The Hunger Games,” setting the bar so high, the new director, Francis Lawrence, has a lot to prove to the loyal followers of the popular series. Everyone knows the disappointment of seeing their favorite books turned into only mediocre-at-best movies, such as “The Golden Compass” or “A Series of Unfortunate Events.”

This didn’t seem to be the case for the first movie of the series. “The Hunger Games” grossed more than $150 million opening weekend alone, and made more than $400 million overall, clearly a soaring victory for former director Gary Ross.

“Hunger Games” was, in most fans’ opinions, unpredictable in the best sense. Not only was the casting superb and the acting great, but Ross really brought Collins’ book to life. From the set design of District 12 to the Game arena itself, fans were made to feel as if they were really in the future, experiencing the excitement of the Games.

For many fans, the best part about these movies is seeing them at the midnight premiere. After camping outside the theater for seven hours, the movie just seems so much better.

Not only do fans have opinions on everything from set design to costumes, but they also dissect every aspect of the trailer.  After the first sneak peak of the movie was released on July 3, fans went mad.

“[The trailer] was amazing. The whole thing was really intense!” junior Allison Morris said. “I especially liked when the birds were screaming and Katniss was freaking out, just like in the book.”

The fans are expecting big things from “Catching Fire,” from the visuals of the Game arena to the performances of the actors. Not to name names, but Francis Lawrence has picked some amazing, not to mention well-known, actors to play Collins’ new characters.

“Jennifer Lawrence played the role of Katniss really well. Her part was really believable and her character was really strong,” junior Donna Fotoohi said. “She was a great choice for the part.”

Fans already know and love Katniss, Peeta, and Gale (Liam Hemsworth). But now they have some new faces to meet, namely Gloss (Alan Ritchson) and Game Maker Plutarch Heavensbee (Philip Seymour Hoffman).

As one of the bigger names in “Catching Fire,” Hoffman is already well-known. Fans may recognize him from “Mission Impossible III,” “Moneyball” and “Capote,” for which he won the Oscar for Best Actor.

The costume designer for the “Hunger Games,” Judianna Makovsky, outdid herself with the lavish gowns and fiery outfits Katniss and Peeta wear before the Games begin.

For “Catching Fire,” Trish Summerville, a recent winner of Costume Designer of the Year and the 2013 Style Awards, took on the role of designing the outfits for the new film.

For fans already looking toward the third installment of Collins’ trilogy, “Mockingjay” is going to follow the new trend seen in the final movies of the “Harry Potter” and “Twilight” series and be split up into two different movies. Part one will be released on Nov. 21, 2014, and part two will be released on Nov. 20, 2015.