The long-awaited movie adaptation of ''The Hunger Games'' now has a release date.  Fans, mark your calendars for March 23, 2012.  According to Lionsgate, that's the day ''The Hunger Games'' movie will hit the big screen.

''The Hollywood Reporter'' says the March 2012 release date was chosen, in part, because Lionsgate "is looking to prosper from spring break and the Easter holiday."  Director Gary Ross reportedly hopes to begin shooting ''The Hunger Games'' movie in "late spring or summer" of 2011.

As for the movie's cast, so far, no announcements on who'll star.  Speculation about who will portray ''Hunger Games'' heroine Katniss Everdeen continues.  In recent months, several actresses have been mentioned, including Kristin Stewart, Saoirse Ronan, Chloe Moretz and Dakota Fanning.  Most recently, Oscar-nominated actress Hailee Steinfeld of ''True Grit'' has been mentioned as a possible choice.  In January of 2011, Lionsgate hired casting director Debra Zane to find the actors who'll bring ''The Hunger Games'' characters to life.  In a press release, the studio said Zane's job would involve casting "the people you imagined [as the characters] but not the ones you expected."

''The Hunger Games'' movie is based on the first in a series of three young-adult novels by Suzanne Collins.  The first novel, ''The Hunger Games,'' was released in 2008.  It was followed by ''Catching Fire'' in 2009 and then ''Mockingjay'' in 2010.  The books have proven extremely popular: ''Hunger Games'' publisher, Scholastic, says "more than 3.3 million copies" are in print in the U.S.

''The Hunger Games'' trilogy series is set in a post-apocalyptic North America, where people live in 12 different districts.  Every year, two teenagers from each district are chosen by lottery to participate in the Hunger Games: fighting to the death on live television.