Jennifer Lawrence was apprehensive about playing Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games." Until she met with director Gary Ross.
"I just loved everything he was saying," Lawrence told Moviefone earlier this year. "I knew the movie was being made by people who are fans of the book and wanted to stay true to its story, and understood that it's a sad story, not a cool action flick."
Ross won't return for "Catching Fire," the "Hunger Games" sequel due out in theaters next year, but apparently his replacement is still on that same page. While speaking with the Los Angeles Times blog 24 Frames, Lawrence revealed that director Francis Lawrence (no relation) is looking to keep "Catching Fire" authentic.
“The new movie will be very real, which is what I’m excited about,” she said. "I really like his take, which is a lot of what I liked in Gary Ross. It's the realistic grasp of the story instead of all the details of the imaginary things."
Lawrence is the latest "Hunger Games" star to discuss the switch from Ross to Lawrence. In an interview with Moviefone this week, Elizabeth Banks said that the change was "exciting."
"[Gary] made a great movie, he made a lot of money, he’s moving on -- I think it’s fine for everybody," she said. "He’s good, and now we’ll get fresh eyes on the next one, and that’ll be really exciting. And it’s always exciting for actors to create new relationships with new directors. Gary and I made two movies together and I would do anything with him, but now I’m excited to get to know Francis."
For more on "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," head over to 24 Frames.
[via LAT/24 Frames]
