* Creative Differences: Ross and Lionsgate, the studio producing the films, had creative differences over the direction of *Catching Fire*. There were disagreements about the tone, pacing, and certain aspects of the story.
* Scheduling: The back-to-back production of *Catching Fire* and *Mockingjay* was a very demanding schedule. Ross, due to his creative differences and likely also the intense schedule, decided to step down from directing *Mockingjay*.
* Personal Reasons: Some reports also suggest that Ross chose to leave the franchise due to personal reasons, wanting to pursue other projects.
While Ross's departure was likely a combination of these factors, it ultimately led to Francis Lawrence taking over the directorial duties for *Mockingjay* Parts 1 and 2.
It's important to note that Ross's vision for *Catching Fire* was quite different from what we ultimately saw. He envisioned a darker, more complex film that leaned into the political aspects of the story.