The Hunger Games Finds New Director…

After news broke out that director Gary Ross wouldn’t be back for the sequel of The Hunger Games, Lionsgate execs started searching for a replacement…  and it seems they’ve found one.

The studio hopes Francis Lawrence, who directed I Am Legend and Water for Elephants, will sign on for Catching Fire, the Hollywood Reporter notes. Lionsgate was to reportedly make Lawrence an official offer yesterday afternoon. He beat out Moneyball director Bennett Miller, who had scheduling conflicts, for the job.