There's trouble in Panem, "Hunger Games" fans. As it turns out, Gary Ross directing the series' second installment, "Catching Fire," isn't as for sure a thing as we once thought.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gary and Lionsgate are in "tough negotiations" regarding his compensation for the follow-up. (Gary received a relatively small $3 million to co-write and direct "The Hunger Games," though that figure will be significantly boosted by his 5 percent cut of the profits.)
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
When MTV News caught up with Gary before the film's premiere, he revealed he was in the early stages of conceptualizing the sequel. "In terms of the cinematic differences in the way I might shoot the movie, I shot this in a very specific way that's very different than most franchises are shot, obviously, and that had a lot to do with the urgency of what's going on and Katniss' point of view," he said. "I have some ideas about how to do 'Catching Fire' slightly differently, but I don't want to share them yet. Not because I'm being evasive, but just because they're not fully baked. But yes, I think it will look and feel slightly different from the first."
The Hollywood Reporter story hinted that producers may elect to pull a "Harry Potter"- or "Twilight"-style switcheroo and hire a different director to helm follow-ups—a model that didn't seem to harm either franchise. Though, to be sure, Gary is a passionate advocate for this project, and much of what elevated the film beyond a by-the-book adaption, was Gary's artful treatment of the material. So we ask you, Crushers, would you be devastated if Gary didn't direct the sequel? Vote in our poll below and leave your thoughts in the comments section.
What do you think about these developments? Who would you want to see direct if Gary doesn't?
