'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay' Becomes Latest Film To Be Released In Two Parts

'The Hunger Games' trilogy is to be the latest book-to-film adaptation where the last instalment is released separately in two parts.

Lionsgate have revealed that 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1' is to be released in November 2014 followed by 'Part 2' in 2015. It has followed the likes of 'Harry Potter' and 'Twilight' in that the final stories were split in half.

The movie is adapted from Suzanne Collins' adolescent dystopian sci-fi novel about the suffering nation of Panem where an event is held every year selecting two teenagers at random who are forced to fight each other to the death. It is written through the eyes of Katniss Everdeen, a 16-year-old portrayed by 'Winter's Bone' actress Jennifer Lawrence. The trilogy made the top three places on the 2012 UK's Children's Bestseller List while the first film has grossed $678 million across the world making them second place as highest grossing film after Joss Whedon's 'The Avengers'.

While the first film was directed by the award winning Gary Ross ('Seabiscuit'), he has stepped down from the role to be replaced by Francis Lawrence ('I Am Legend', 'Constantine', 'Water For Elephants') in the second instalment 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' which hits cinemas next year (2013).