Director Gary Ross is reportedly in negotiations to direct the film adaptation of the hit novel sci-fi dystopia novel The Hunger Games. The famous trilogy penned by Suzanne Collins is believed to become a film franchise that could be “the next Twilight” despite its slightly gruesome nature.
Other directors once in the running for the project included Sam Mendes (American Beauty) and David Slade (30 Days of Night). According to Deadline, Mendes is out of the picture because will be directing the next James Bond film, which could go into production sometime next year.
The film’s script was initially drafted by Collins and then adapted by Billy Ray (Shattered Glass). Set in the future, the book focuses on a teenage hunter named Katniss Everdeen living in the ruins of North America where teens are forced to fight to the death in a reality series called “The Hunger Games.”
As of now, Ross has only directed two films: the sports drama Seabiscuit and the cultural satire Pleasantville. Even when considering that little factor, he did terrific work on the films. Both of those films are polar opposites, so he has oddly enough proven that he has some kind of directing versatility. Perhaps an action-oriented film of this nature is right up his alley. Here’s to hoping for a great film series, or at least that this isn’t “the next Twilight” in terms of quality.
