In quite a surprising move, Steven Soderbergh has joined the currently-shooting The Hunger Games as a second unit director. The news comes via The Playlist, who spotted the following Tweet from the film’s electrician, Chrys Blackstone:
“Holy s–t!” he writes, “Just found out that Steven Soderbergh is coming to the #hungergames to direct 2nd Unit. I am so excited this is getting good!
Soderbergh’s name was also tweeted by production designer Eddie Mills, who wrote:
“Soderbergh in the house this weekend!!! very exciting!”
Soderbergh, who seems to enjoy remaining unpredictable, has two films opening in the next year, Contagion on September 9 and Haywire opening on January 20, 2012.
Targeted for a PG-13 rating, The Hunger Games tells the tale of a dystopic future and the annual “Hunger Games,” a fight to the death on live television. The cast includes Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci, Woody Harrelson, Lenny Kravitz, Toby Jones, Donald Sutherland and many more with a release scheduled for March 23, 2012.
