“The Hunger Games” may have just exited theaters, and the sequel “Catching Fire” is still being cast, but Lionsgate is already setting the day for the final film in the series — make that two final films.
Like “Harry Potter” and “Twilight” before it, the “Hunger Games” film franchise is turning the third and final book in Suzanne Collins’ bestselling book series into a two-part film.
“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1” is set to be released November 21, 2014, “Part 2” following one year later, on November 20th, 2015. It’s a release pattern virtually identical to the last two films in the “Twilight” series, which was produced by Summit Entertainment, which recently merged with Lionsgate.
While no director has been set for the “Mockingjay” films, mainstays Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth are slated to return. Gary Ross directed the first film, while Francis Lawrence (“I Am Legend”) is handling the duties for “Fire.”
Meanwhile, “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” will hit theaters November 22, 2013. Jena Malone and Philip Seymour Hoffman recently joined the cast.
“The Hunger Games” opened in March and cared up a stellar $404 million domestically.