Last November, we reported to you that Loinsgate had brought in scribe Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire) to tackle the adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ second book in the bestselling Hunger Games trilogy. Beaufoy has completed work on the script but will director Gary Ross be back to direct Catching Fire?

By now, it’s obvious that The Hunger Games has significant box office appeal, grossing more than $363 million worldwide so far, but that will this be enough to convince Lionsgate execs to foot the bill to sign a seasoned director as Ross (Pleasantville, Seabiscuit) for another round? According to THR, Ross does not have a multi-picture contract with Lionsgate and source say that negotiations for him to direct the first film was “a terrible experience” and even took a comparatively low fee of $3 million to co-write and direct the film (though he will receive a five percent of backend.) Sources say that Ross will expect a raise for the sequel.

Lionsgate does already have a premiere date set of November 22, 2013 for Catching Fire so there is a level of urgency to begin production on this sequel. The only hitch in this timeline could be Fox exercising their option on star Jennifer Lawrence for another X-Men movie.

Could Lionsgate pull a Twilight like Summit did to Catherine Hardwicke in dropping the director after the first Twilight film? Summit’s Rob Friedman and Patrick Wachsberger are now running Lionsgate’s film division. Even so, sources are still keeping positive on Ross’ return for Catching Fire:

“Ultimately, it will be difficult, and yet everybody will do the sane thing, which is to work it out. Everybody will end up unhappy in their own way. It’s just the nature of the beast.”

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