26 Sep – Jennifer Lawrence has signed on for a new live-action adaptation of "East Of Eden" and teams up with "The Hunger Games" director Gary Ross. Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment's Brian Grazer had signed a deal with the John Steinbeck estate for a new live-action version of the novel "East Of Eden" by Nobel prize winner John Steinbeck which was published in 1952. Set in the Salinas Valley, California, prior to World War I, the novel brings to life the intricate details of two families, the Trasks and the Hamiltons, and their interwoven stories, with references to the biblical tale of Abel and Cain.
The last live-action adaptation was the 1955 film also called "East Of Eden", directed by Elia Kazan and features James Dean. The film focuses on the second part of John Steinbeck's book and on the second generation. The rights to the project were picked up by Universal Pictures in 2004 but expired recently, thus the studio had to reapply for the rights. It is uncertain who will write the screenplay for the film. Jennifer Lawrence definitely has a lot on her hands, seeing that "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1" will start shooting soon. The third instalment to the franchise is expected to hit cinemas in late 2014. She is also set to appear as Mystique in "X-Men: Days Of Future Past", due mid-2014. Meanwhile, the actress will be seen in "Serena" and "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire", both out later this year.