So then, Lionsgate has reportedly settled on Francis Lawrence as the director for the second film in the Hunger Games series, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
Lionsgate considered a number of directors including Tony Scott (Unstoppable), Tomas Alfredson (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), and Stephen Daldry (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close); this week the names of Lawrence and Bennett Miller, the Oscar-nominated director of Moneyball and Capote, came into the frame.
Since Lionsgate has set a November 22st, 2013, release date for Catching Fire and because his schedule was open, Lawrence had been considered the leading candidate (Miller will begin shooting Foxcatcher later this fall). Catching Fire could start as early as August.
Lawrence, who will reportedly take over the director's chair that Gary Ross vacated, previously brought us the comic book adaptation Constantine, I Am Legend and most recently directed the period drama Water for Elephants
Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Donald Sutherland and Lenny Kravitz are among those who are all expected to return for the franchise sequel The Hunger Games: Catching Fire based on the Suzanne Collins novel by the same name.
Source: THR
