The next director for “The Hunger Games” sequel has been chosen.

Lionsgate selected director Francis Lawrence to take the helm of “Catching Fire.” The offer was pitched to him yesterday and he will replace “The Hunger Games” director Gary Ross.

Lawrence directed films like “I Am Legend” and “Constantine.” His recent film was with the romantic film “Water for Elephants” last year that starred Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson.

Other directors named on the shortlist or rumored included Tomas Alfredson (“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”), Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu (“Babel”), Cary Fukunaga (“Jan Eyre”), Duncan Jones (“Source Code”), Bennett Miller (“Moneyball”) and Alfonso Cuaron (“Children of Men”).

The Hollywood Reporter mentioned Lawrence was selected was possibly due to “his open schedule.” The trade site also mentioned that the director will need to rewrite the script with the scribe Simon Beaufoy (“Slumdog Millionaire”) or possibly hire new scribes before production to begin.

And the clock is ticking since its main star Jennifer Lawrence will begin shooting Twentieth Century Fox’s “X-Men: First Class” in January. So the production on “Catching Fire” needs to begin this fall.

“Catching Fire” is slated for theater release on November 22 next year.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter