After Francis Lawrence was offered the chance to direct The Hunger Games' sequel, Catching Fire a few weeks ago and now he has officially accepted the job. The Constantine and I Am Legend director will be taking over directing duties from Gary Ross, who decided to step down from the director's chair a while ago.
Here is the official pressing from Lionsgate and Francis Lawrence:
“Lionsgate, the cast, and filmmakers are all thrilled to have Francis Lawrence come on board as director of Catching Fire. Suzanne’s brilliant book is the intense story of the birth of the rebellion and Katniss’ emotionally charged journey as she takes on the mantle of the Mockingjay, and we all think Francis is the perfect director to bring the story to life,” said Erik Feig, Lionsgate’s President Of Production.
“From the very beginning of this brilliant trilogy’s journey from page to screen, our first priority has been to stay true to the heart and soul of Suzanne Collins’ powerful stories. From my first conversation with Francis, I knew he would make a great partner for both me and Suzanne. His passion for Catching Fire and inspired ideas for a faithful adaptation make him the perfect director for this movie. I know this will be a wonderful collaboration and I cannot wait to get started,” echoed producer Nina Jacobson.
Said Francis Lawrence, “It is truly an honor and a privilege to bring Catching Fire, the second chapter of Suzanne’s beloved trilogy, to the big screen. I fell in love with the characters, the themes and the world she created and this chapter opens all of these elements up in such a thrilling, emotional and surprising way. I can’t wait to dive right into it and bring this chapter to life along with the truly superb cast and filmmakers involved.”Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson along with Woody Harrelson, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci, Toby Jones, Elizabeth Banks and Donald Sutherland are all coming back to reprise their roles.
Do you like the choice of Francis Lawrence as director?
Source: Beyond Hollywood