CONFIRMED: 'Hunger Games: Mockingjay' Will Be Broken Into 2 Films; Francis Lawrence Directing Both

Can't get enough of The Hunger Games? You'll love the news that Lionsgate will break Mockingjay, the final book of the trilogy, into two films. This had been expected for months now, but Collider was able to confirm the news on Thursday. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1 will hit theaters on Nov. 21, 2014, and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2 will follow on Nov. 20, 2015.

Francis Lawrence, who was brought on to direct The Hunger Games: Catching Fire after The Hunger Games' director Gary Ross passed, will stay on board to direct the final two films of the series. After Lionsgate replaced Ross so quickly, I assumed that The Hunger Games franchise would follow the example of the Harry Potter and Twilight films and bring on a new director with each installment. The quick turnaround time between each Hunger Games movies clearly doesn't bother Lawrence though.

The series will return with The Hunger Games: Catching Fire on Nov. 22, 2013, with stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Lenny Kravitz, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci and Donald Sutherland returning. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jena Malone, Sam Claflin and Jeffrey Wright will join the cast.