Lionsgate must be pleased with what they’ve seen coming out of the set of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, as they’ve now decided that the director of that film, Francis Lawrence, will continue with the series, signing him to helm The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Parts 1 and 2.

Mockingjay will be the two-part finale based on Suzanne Collins’ best-selling series of books, which concludes Katniss Everdeen’s journey as she becomes the face of a rebellion in the districts of Panem against the tyrannical and corrupt Capitol. As the war escalates, Katniss must decipher for herself who she can trust and what needs to be done, with everything she cares for in the balance. Danny Strong will write the script.

Production on the movie will get underway next year, with The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 set for release on November 21, 2014, while Part 2 opens November 20, 2015. Before then we’ll get Catching Fire on November 22nd, 2013. (Source: Collider)

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire might have only just started shooting, but with release dates already set for Lionsgate’s two-part adaptation of the final book in Suzanne Collins’ trilogy, Mockingjay, the studio has already set to work on the film.

Variety reports that Game Change screenwriter Danny Strong has signed up to write The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2. No director has been attached for the two-part finale as of yet, although it’s feasible Catching Fire helmer Francis Lawrence will stay on for these movies. There’s no news either on where in the story the break between the two parts might come. The novel sees Katniss and he cohorts becoming increasingly involved in a revolution that’s started to sweep Panem.

Danny Strong won an Emmy award last week for his Game Change script, and also wrote The Butler for director Lee Daniels, which is currently shooting in New Orleans. Mockingjay Part 1 is already set for release November 21st, 2014, while Part 2 comes on November 20th, 2015.

After a lot of speculation, Lionsgate has officially confirmed that the final installment of The Hunger Games franchise will be split into two movies. The studio announced that The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 will be released on November 21st, 2014, with The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 ending the series November 20th, 2015.

Lionsgate has been thinking about this for a while, but needed to ensure it could get the key actors to agree to an extra movie before officially announcing the move. Splitting the last story in a major novel-to-film franchise has almost become common practice as of late, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows into two parts, and Summit doing the same with Stephenie Meyer’s The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire goes into production next month, which is set for release on November 22nd, 2013. Francis Lawrence is directing the sequel, although it’s too early to tell if he will be back for this two-part finale. (Source: Variety)