The first of four planned movies based on Suzanne Collins’ bestselling trilogy wrapped production in North Carolina on Saturday and will be released March 23. It’s LIONGATE’s most expensive, and potentially most lucrative, production file made to date.

LIONSGATE spent nearly $100 million to produce “The Hunger Games,” a figure brought closer to $80 million after tax credits.

When LIONSGATE acquired the rights to make the movie in 2009, the studio had conceived of it as a smaller production that would appeal only to young adults. But at the time only one book had been released and it had sold fewer than 500,000 copies. Today The Hunger Games trilogy has sold more than 12 million copies, and backers believe it could be what Hollywood calls a “four quadrant” film — one that appeals to men and women, young and old.