The Gary Ross (Pleasantville) directed big-screen adaptation of the first novel in Suzanne Collins’ best selling trilogy, The Hunger Games is currently in production and will premiere in March of next year. Now, Lionsgate has issued a press release to announce the release date of its forthcoming sequel, Catching Fire.

Official Press Release:

WORLD TO CATCH FIRE NOVEMBER 22, 2013

CATCHING FIRE – FILM BASED ON SECOND BOOK IN THE HUNGER GAMES SERIES TO UNSPOOL WORLDWIDE

Santa Monica, CA, August 08, 2011– LIONSGATE® (NYSE: LGF), a leading global entertainment company, announced today that it will release CATCHING FIRE, the film adaptation of the second book in Suzanne Collins’ runaway bestselling HUNGER GAMES trilogy, on November 22, 2013. The announcement was made by Joe Drake, co-COO of Lionsgate and President of its Motion Picture Group. No further details about CATCHING FIRE have been confirmed at this stage.

Said Drake of the date, “The magical thing about the Hunger Games trilogy is that the books have such a vastly broad appeal. The stories truly offer something for everyone, and the period around the Thanksgiving weekend is such an opportunity for families and friends to make an event of going to the movies.”

THE HUNGER GAMES is currently in production and will be released on March 23, 2012. THE HUNGER GAMES is directed by Gary Ross, and produced by Nina Jacobson’s Color Force in tandem with producer Jon Kilik. Alli Shearmur, President of Development and Production at Lionsgate, is overseeing the production on behalf of the studio. Suzanne Collins’ best-selling novel, which has over 3 million copies in print in the United States alone, is the first in a trilogy of novels which have developed a global following.

The Hunger Games is slated to hit theaters on March 23rd, 2012.

Catching Fire is slated to hit theaters on November 22nd, 2013.