Confirming long standing rumors, the upcoming sequel to the yet-to-be-released Hunger Games feature adaptation just got a lot more prestigious.

The Wrap is confirming that Simon Beaufoy, best known for his work behind the scripts for Danny Boyle’s last two films Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours, is working on a screenplay for the new project, Catching Fire.

Apparently Lionsgate is putting all of their eggs into the basket, adorned with copies of The Hunger Games.

With the first film in the beloved franchise still looking to hit theaters, the wheels are turning for a sequel, an adaptation of the second novel, Catching Fire. Director Gary Ross is busy still working on the first film, so with him set to direct its sequel, a writer is being eyed, and Deadline is reporting that it may in fact be Slumdog Millionaire scribe Simon Beaufoy.

Now, while the second unit director may not get the biggest amount of publication, not every second unit director is one of today’s most interesting filmmakers.

The Playlist uncovered a tweet from production designer Eddie Mills revealing that director Steven Soderbergh is apparently shooting second unit for the upcoming Gary Ross-directed film, The Hunger Games.

Soderbergh has gone on the record many times revealing that he does have every intention in the world in retiring somewhere in the near future, but with this and the cavalcade of projects he has currently on his slate (ranging from the upcoming thriller Contagion to the remake The Man From U.N.C.L.E.), we’ll still be seeing quite a bit from the filmmaker.

The lead roles for the movie adaptation of Suzanne Collins‘ popular novel, The Hunger Games, were taken care of early with Academy Award nominee Jennifer Lawrence set to play Katniss Everdeen and Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth locked in for the roles of Peeta Mellark and Gale Hawthorne.

Since the leads were cast, the team working on the movie have been very busy bringing together a bunch of supporting actors to solidify the cast. A short time ago it was reported that Elizabeth Banks (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Zack and Miri Make A Porno) was in talks to play Effie Trinket, the eventual handler of Lawrence’s Katniss. The talks have now been sorted out, and Banks has been officially confirmed for the role.

After a long search, the male leads in the upcoming movie adaptation of The Hunger Games have been cast.

Lionsgate has officially announced that Josh Hutcherson, star of Zathura, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and The Kids Are All Right, will star in the movie as Peeta Mellark.

He accompanies the female lead, Katniss Everdeen (who has already been cast with Oscar nominee Jennifer Lawrence), to the Hunger Games, an annual event where a teenage boy and girl from each of twelve districts is forced to compete in fights to the death on live TV.

Also cast in the role of Gale Hawthorne is Liam Hemsworth, younger brother to the new Thor, Chris Hemsworth, who has starred in movies like The Last Song and Knowing.