Shortly after I posted that the Hunger Games sequel search was down to two, apparently they made their choice – and it is Francis Lawrence, who previously directed Water for Elephants, I Am Legend and Constantine. It is expect he will receive an offer today.

Catching Fire, the sequel to The Hunger Games, is slated for a November 2013 release. It is expected the third book, Mockingjay, will be filmed at the same time.

Hearing from various sources that the necessarily quick search for a replacement director for Gary Ross – who decided not to continue with the sequel for The Hunger Games – has been narrowed down to two choices, neither of which have a lot of top-line directing titles under their belts but what they have were well known: Bennett Miller, who was nominated for an Oscar for Capote and more recently directed Moneyball; and Francis Lawrence, who most recently scored with Water for Elephants but also genre films I Am Legend and Constantine.

Of the two, Lawrence would seem to make sense given his experience in a post-apocalyptic-like setting of I Am Legend, and 2 genre films to zero for Miller.

Syfy’s Hollywood Treasure, which follows collectibles expert Joe Maddalena finding and auctioning pop culture items, returns for a third season on Tuesday, May 22nd at 10/9c – and it will open up with a trip to Middle-Earth with Samwise Gamgee! Or at least, actor Sean Astin’s collection from The Lord of the Rings!

Upcoming season three episodes will showcase the Whitney Houston costume from The Bodyguard; the house in American Horror Story; items from the television series Lost; the General Lee from Dukes of Hazzard; the original camera George Lucas used to film Star Wars and Maddalena’s personal Holy Grail – the lost pair of ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz.
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