And 'The Hunger Games' TV Rights Go To... ABC Family?

Every time a big movie hits theaters, there's a big scramble to decide who gets the TV rights. After all, what network wouldn't want to be the one to have the "world television premiere" of "The Hunger Games?"

The battle for that particular movie has been going on for quite a while, and it has been a tough one. After all, "Hunger Games" is now tracking to possibly beat the high-earning "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1" for opening weekend box office earnings, so to be the one to show this potentially wide-appealing movie would be a big get for any network.

So who's the lucky winner? Drumroll, please... it's ABC Family! Wait, what? Seriously?

Yes, the channel that brought you "Secret Life of the American Teenager" and "Make It or Break It" will be airing "The Hunger Games" after it completes its run in theaters. It's not surprising that ABC Family was in the running: after all, the network acquired rights for all the "Harry Potter" movies and marathons them every year. Plus, while "Hunger Games" may have more appeal for males and adults than, say, the "Twilight" movies, it is still aimed mostly at the ABC Family demographic of younger girls.

What is a bit surprising is that the generally flowery network would take on such a dark, violent feature. Some moments of "Hunger Games" were so bloody that they had to be cut from the UK release in order to maintain a PG-13 rating.

In any case, for your edited-for-television repeat viewings of "The Hunger Games," you will be tuning in to ABC Family and enjoying some commercials for "Pretty Little Liars" in the meantime.