‘The Hunger Games’ director Gary Ross has confirmed that he’s already working on the script for the sequel to the upcoming sci-fi action drama, MockingJay is reporting. While the anticipated film adaptation of the first entry in the book series by Suzanne Collins isn’t slated to hit theaters until March 23, 2012, the director is already working on ‘Catching Fire’ with screenwriter Simon Beaufoy.

It was first reported in November 2011 that Lionsgate, the studio distributing ‘The Hunger Games,’ was courting Beaufoy to write the script for ‘Catching Fire.’ Ross’ announcement that he’s working on the sequel’s script comes after he said he was introduced to the series by his then 14-year-old twins.

Ross became fascinated by the evolution of the main character, Katniss Everdeen, played by Academy Award-nominee Jennifer Lawrence in the film, from stoic survivor to moral linchpin for an oppressed nation. He flew to London to meet with ‘The Hunger Games’ producer, Nina Joacobson, and aggressively pursued the directorial duties.

Ross said he wanted to helm ‘The Hunger Games’ because “it has all the things I love in the movies: technical challenges, size, spectacle, amazing narrative drive. And it has a lot on its mind about where we are and where we may be headed as a culture.”

Written by: Karen Benardello