Turns out directing "The Hunger Games" won't be the last thing Gary Ross ever does. THR reports he's in negotiations to helm "Houdini" for Summit.
The film is based on The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero, a biography of the magician by William Kalush and Larry Sloman -- a book that drew controversy for intimating that Houdini was a spy for the Secret Service and Britain. Noah Oppenheim wrote the screenplay.
Ross turned down "Catching Fire," the sequel to the money-making "Hunger Games" adaptation. Though he initially expressed interest in the sequel, he later said the fixed production schedule was too tight. Lionsgate settled on "I Am Legend" and "Water for Elephants" director Francis Lawrence after a search that reportedly included Bennett Miller, Alfonso Cuaron and David Cronenberg.
THR notes that Ross is a picky director when it comes to his projects. He directed "Pleasantville" in 1998 and "Seabiscuit" in 2003, though he has written films as well.
As for Houdini, he's the subject of a new exhibit in Miami, which may be a sign that there's still a healthy appetite for a project like the one Ross has picked up.