Lionsgate didn't waste a moment after Gary Ross stepped down from directing Catching Fire, the sequel to The Hunger Games. Pulling together an incredible shortlist of A-list possibilities that included Alfonso Cuaron, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, David Cronenberg, Bennett Miller, and Francis Lawrence, it was clear they had very specific requirements for the job, mostly revolving around keeping author Suzanne Collins happy. Now it appears Lionsgate has made their choice, as THR reports an offer has gone out to Lawrence.
Miller and Lawrence were the most recent names mentioned, but from the very beginning this looked like the latter's job to lose. He had been a contender to direct The Hunger Games before, and has a good deal of blockbuster experience as director of I Am Legend. Plus, Miller is plenty busy gearing up for Foxcatcher, the true crime film with Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo, and Channing Tatum.
Duncan Jones(Source Code), Cary Fukunaga(Sin Nombre), and Tomas Alfredson(Let the Right One In) were also in the running at some point, but it's unclear just how far into the process they were. Not that it matters at this point, but each of those directors would have made for a vastly different style of film than Ross, a fact which probably led Lionsgate to go with the safer Lawrence.
The deal isn't done yet, but with his schedule wide open Lawrence will almost certainly sign on. The wheels are officially turning on Catching Fire, which should begin filming this summer and hit theaters on November 22nd 2013.
