‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ Enters Production

Lionsgate announced today that the sequel to this years mega-hit The Hunger Games has now entered production.

Filming started in Atlanta today and is expecting to run until December. Francis Lawrence (Water For Elephants, I Am Legend, Constantine) is in the director’s chair, replacing Gary Ross from the first film.

From the press release:

THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE will be released worldwide on November 22, 2013, and stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Jeffrey Wright, with Stanley Tucci and Donald Sutherland.

Said Lionsgate’s President of Production Eric Feig, who is overseeing the production on behalf of the studio, “We are so excited to be embarking on this adventure with Francis Lawrence, who has already exhibited immense creative vision and resourcefulness in casting the film and planning its look and feel. The stakes are raised in every way in this second story, and we are thrilled to get the production underway in these perfect locations, with our excellent returning cast and some world class actors in new roles.”

Looks like most of the cast from the first film is unsurprisingly returning, and we’ll see some new faces as well. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is set for release on November 22, 2013.

I’ve yet to see the first film, but have heard excellent things about it (conversely I’ve also heard it’s essentially a less violent Battle Royale). Did you like it? Are you looking forward to a sequel?