Francis Lawrence takes on ‘Red Rising’

Francis Lawrence is returning to familiar territory.

The filmmaker behind most of The Hunger Games movies has been tapped to direct the film adaptation of Pierce Brown’s bestselling science fiction novel Red Rising for Paramount Pictures, according to Deadline.

The project marks another dystopian epic for Lawrence, whose work on Catching Fire, Mockingjay Parts 1 and 2, and The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes helped turn Suzanne Collins’ novels into one of Hollywood’s biggest franchises.

First published in 2014, Red Rising follows Darrow, a miner from the lowest-ranked Red caste on a colonized Mars. After discovering that his people have been oppressed by the ruling Gold elite, he undergoes a dramatic transformation and infiltrates the upper class to spark a rebellion from within.

The novel launched a bestselling series that has become a favorite among science fiction readers for its blend of political intrigue, action and social commentary.

Lawrence’s attachment to the project has already fueled excitement among fans, many of whom have long hoped to see Brown’s expansive world brought to the big screen.

No release date or casting announcements have been revealed.