EW has unveiled the first official picture of Jennifer Lawrence as protective 16-year-old heroine Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games, the in-development adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ acclaimed sci-fi novel.

Lawrence will star opposite Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Willow Shields, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci, Wes Bentley, Paula Malcomson, and more in the Gary Ross-directed film.

The Hunger Games centers on a young girl (Lawrence) who joins a survival contest in order to save her community in a dystopian future.

Speaking to EW, Lawrence commented on accepting the part of Katniss:

“I knew that as soon as I said yes, my life would change […] And I walked around an entire day thinking ‘It’s not too late, I could still go back and do indies, I haven’t said yes yet, it’s not too late.’”

Yet, she couldn’t bring herself to turn it down:

“I love this story […] and if I had said no, I would regret it every day.”

The Hunger Games will be released on on March 23, 2012.

Source: EW