Francis Lawrence recently confirmed his interest in returning to the Hunger Games universe, according to a report by The Playlist. A smart move on his part when considering the failure of his last feature Red Sparrow. The director openly discussed his interactions with both Lionsgate and author Suzanne Collins in an interview with People, saying:
“Yeah, I’ve definitely been talking to Suzanne [Collins, author] about it and to Lionsgate about it… And so, it is something that I would absolutely love to do.”
With the upcoming prequel novel building hype for fans of the series, having the director who made three popular adaptations return is a given. The only film in the Hunger Games franchise Lawrence didn’t direct was the first movie. However, these movies were big successes. And, with Lionsgate openly acknowledging the upcoming adaptation, having the guy who’s spent years enveloped in the Hunger Games universe is an exciting prospect for the prequel.
Hunger Games Beats Out Red Sparrow
Another part of the interview revolved around whether a sequel for Red Sparrow was on the cards. As mentioned above, the movie was a failure. It bombed at the box office and received mix reviews at the time of release. Even having Jennifer Lawrence star did not save the film.
When posed this question during the interview, Francis Lawrence’s response was honest:
“I don’t think that’s going to happen… It didn’t quite get the response that I was hoping it would get. I think that, yeah, that’s probably off the table.”
So, it would seem that the Hunger Games won out on his pursuits here. It makes sense. There is little point in chasing after something that is going to discredit you as a director. Sometimes, it is better to play your cards close and wait for the next opportunity to create something bold.
However, if you want to see what Lawrence has been up to, you can watch the Apple TV+ series See, which is available now. Lawrence helped to direct some of the show and has been well received!
So, has this news got you hyped? Did you like Red Sparrow? Let us know in the comments!
