Jennifer Lawrence will devour The Hunger Games

I hadn’t heard anything about this movie until a week ago, and now I can’t seem to stop writing about it.

I last wrote about the current competition for the male lead in THE HUNGER GAMES, a contest between Alex Pettyfer and Josh Hutcherson, but before that we covered the slate of Oscar nominated young women up for the REAL lead in the film, the part of Katniss, who competes in the children-fight-to-the-death Hunger Games competition in order to win food and supplies for her community in a dystopian future.

The race was between Abigail Breslin, Hailee Steinfeld and Jennifer Lawrence, with Chloe Moretz, Lyndsy Fonseca, Saoirse Ronan, Emma Roberts, Kaya Scodelario, Emily Browning and Shailene Woodley were also being considered.

Lawrence was considered the frontrunner, and now we have confirmation via The Wrap that the role is indeed hers.

The young actress was nominated for an Oscar this year for WINTER’S BONE, and shows up in X-MEN: FIRST CLASS as a young Mystique. Gary Ross (SEABISCUIT) is directing, and the film won’t hit theaters for about a year, March 23, 2012.