Looking to fill a gap between the second and third films in the immensely-successful Hunger Games franchise, while also trying to recreate on-screen young adult romance once championed by Twilight, the dystopian future thriller Divergent is drumming up as much attention as possible.

Two weeks ahead of its release, Divergent took to Toronto as they city hosted a red carpet premiere of on a chilly March night, as its two leads smiled for photos, answered questions, and hugged adoring fans.

Shailene Woodley, who was nominated for a Golden Globe in 2012 for her role in The Descendents and English actor Theo James, the young principal stars of the hopeful franchise, walked the red carpet at Scotiabank Theatre Wednesday night as their intense press tour continues. Neither showed any signs of fatigue, however, graciously signing books, taking selfies, and again, hugging many, many fans.

Divergent, the first of a trilogy based on the best-selling YA books by Veronica Roth, follows Beatrice ‘Tris’ Prior in a world where people are divided into five disparate factions. When Tris figures out that she doesn’t subscribe to any of the factions and thus doesn’t fit in, her ‘divergent’ status makes her an enemy of the state. She teams up with a young man known as Four (James), and together they seek to uncover the mysteries and dangers of a seemingly perfect society.

Between taking time to answer questions for reporters, Woodley and James greeted a pair of packed theatres where lucky audiences got to screen the anticipated action-thriller.

Divergent hits theatres on March 21, and should all go well for the film and studio, two more films in the series will follow.

Photography by Marc Levy