Thanks to The Playlist we learn Steven Soderbergh, fresh off denying his reported retirement, is back at work directing the second unit on Lionsgate’s The Hunger Games alongside helmer Gary Ross.
The Playlist notes a pair of Twitter messages revealing the information beginning with production designer Eddie Mills tweeting “Soderbergh in the house this weekend!!! very exciting!” followed by the more revealing bit of information from the film’s electrician, Chrys Blackstone, writing, “Holy shit! Just found out that Steven Soderbergh is coming to the #hungergames to direct 2nd Unit. I am so excited this is getting good!”
Of course, this isn’t “blow the doors off” news though it is a nice bit of information, similar to that of Andy Serkis performing second unit duties on The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again alongside Peter Jackson. Typically, however, it isn’t a big name director stepping into second unit duties, but a big name director coming out of the second unit.
As far as any additional Hunger Games news is concerned, I did add a pair of previously released images from the film to the gallery this morning. It’s your first time getting to see these without the Entertainment Weekly logo slathered all over them so if you’re interested click here.
The Hunger Games is adapted from the Suzanne Collins novel of the same name and takes place in a society in which districts pay tribute in the form of a teenage boy and girl who are forced to fight to the death on live TV. The film will hit theaters on March 23, 2012 and stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Dayo Okeniyi, Amandla Stenberg, Elizabeth Banks, Leven Rambin, Jack Quaid, Willow Shields, Paula Malcomson, Ian Nelson, Kalia Prescott, Stanley Tucci, Woody Harrelson, Lenny Kravitz and Donald Sutherland.
