Catching Fire Director Francis Lawrence To Helm Mockingjay

The odds appear to be ever in Francis Lawrence’s favor.

After landing in the director’s chair for “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” Francis will continue on with the story of Katniss Everdeen as she leads the districts of Panem in a rebellion against the corrupt Capitol in “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1” and the “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2,” Lionsgate announced on Thursday.

In the third and fourth installments in the series, a war that will determine the fate of Panem escalates, and Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) must decipher for herself who she can trust and what needs to be done, while everything she cares for hangs in the balance.

The filmmaker’s past credits include “Water for Elephants” and “I Am Legend,” along with slew of music videos for artists like Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez and Beyonce.

“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” is currently shooting in Georgia and is slated for theatrical release on November 22, 2013. “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1” opens on November 21, 2014 and the “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2” debuts in theaters on November 20, 2015.

— Jesse Spero