Francis Lawrence Will Direct The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Films

He maybe only half way through filming  The Hunger Games: Catching Fire  but talk was already that Francis Lawrence may call it quits after Catching Fire was released but today Lionsgate Films have laid to rest those rumours. It seems Lionsgate have been impressed with what the director has done so far Collider are reporting Francis Lawrence will now direct the final 2 part of the franchise The Hunger Games:Mockingjay part 1 and 2.

Lawrence took over from directorial duties after The Hunger Games director Gary Ross who passed the baton on due to the tight scheduling and production but for Lawrence it doesn’t seem a problem. With a franchise of such stature it’s probably logical as well as a good move from Lionsgate as one filmmaker brings stability in The Hunger Games and the regular cast will know the score in what Lawrence expects. You could say this is one of the reasons why Peter Jackson went back to Middle Earth with The Hobbit trilogy as he knows the world inside out better.As for Francis Lawrence other projects at the moment he will still be doing them such as The Houdini and World War 2 survival film .

Check out the official press release below from Lionsgate confirming the news, So The Hunger Game Fans what are your views? Is it a good logical move or a premature one as The Hunger Games Catching Fire hasn’t been released yet? Love to know your views please leave them in the comments below.The Hunger Games:Catching Fire arrives on November 22, 2013,with Mockingjay : Part 1 coming on November 21, 2014 and Mockingjay : Part 2 on November 20, 2015.

THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PARTS 1 & 2 – Francis Lawrence to direct

Lionsgate has tapped Francis Lawrence to direct THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 1 and THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 2. Based on Suzanne Collins’ best-selling series, the films will be written by Danny Strong and star Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth.

Lawrence is currently directing Lionsgate’s THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE, the second installment in the series that features a score by James Newton Howard and new roles played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jena Malone and Amanda Plummer.

THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PARTS 1 & 2 make up the third and fourth installments of heroine Katniss Everdeen’s journey as she leads the districts of Panem in a rebellion against the tyrannical and corrupt Capitol.  As the war that will determine the fate of Panem escalates, Katniss must decipher for herself who she can trust and what needs to be done, with everything she cares for in the balance.

Lawrence’s other directing credits include WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, I AM LEGEND and CONSTANTINE.

THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PARTS 1 & 2 make up the third and fourth films in a series that has captivated audiences around the world. The blockbuster first installment of THE HUNGER GAMES franchise has already grossed nearly $700 million at the worldwide box office with the second film THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE opening in theaters on November 22, 2013.  THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 1 comes to theaters on November 21, 2014 and THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 2 opens November 20, 2015.