Fans of The Hunger Games were shocked by the news that director Gary Ross would not return to helm Catching Fire, but conflicting reports say Ross is staying on to direct. Should Ross not return, who should replace him? We offer our own and others’ commentary, as well as a poll for you to chime in!

Here are some possibilities for directors that we, along with other industry writers we’ve asked, think are suited for the job should Ross not return:

Jeremy Baril, Hypable – Having previously directed Jennifer Lawrence to an Oscar nomination in Winter’s Bone, Debra Granik would be a great choice, as the visual and thematic comparisons between that film and The Hunger Games are undeniable. Additionally, it would be extremely refreshing to have a woman’s sensibilities brought to Katniss and the film in general, as we had with Suzanne Collins in the novels.

Laremy Legel, Film.com – Joe Wright. Visually, he is stronger than Ross, and three of his films (Hanna, Pride and Prejudice, Atonement) have showcased strong female leads. I think he’s ready to make the leap, though The Soloist was kind of a debacle.

Fred Topel, Crave Online – I’d actually suggest Joseph Kahn, Josh Hutcherson’s director on Detention. It would be nice to see some fresh blood in there with an exciting visual style. Maybe Josh can get him the job.

Courtney Howard, VeryAware – If Ross does indeed choose not to “catch fire,” my realistic choice would be The Adjustment Bureau’s director, George Nolfi. Not only is he skilled at handling emotional story thread-lines in a fantasy world, but he also understands tone and cinematic atmosphere – things so clearly integral to this successful franchise.

Germain Lussier, SlashFilm – Despite what everyone is saying, this is just the agents and publicists jockeying for position during lucrative contract negotiations. [Gary] Ross will be directing the film.

Mike Smith, MoviePass – One that comes to mind is James McTeigue. He did a great job with a futuristic Britain whose oppressive government mirrors our own in V for Vendetta. That film also had a strong female lead who became a reluctant leader of a political movement. He could do the source material justice.

Kimmy West, Mockingjay.net – I’m going to go with Rupert Sanders, which may seem weird of me considering his first movie Snow White and the Huntsman isn’t even out yet. I just think his general style, from what I’ve seen in the awesome trailers so far, could work well for The Hunger Games. I also picked him since he seems like a likely choice – he was on the short list to direct the first film. He must have done something right! Also, if the salary was the issue, since he is such a new director, he is more likely to take the lower pay.

Alan Cerny, Ain’t It Cool News – Haven’t read the book, so can’t really have an opinion on it. A woman director would be best, though.

There you have it. Six potential directors optioned up by us along with other entertainment writers. If you don’t prefer any of these six, sound off your own ideas in the comments!

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