After months of speculation, most of the casting for The Hunger Games sequel Catching Fire has FINALLY been decided, including (drumroll) hunk Finnick Odair who we were theorizing about here, here and here. Yeah… we’re kind of obsessive.
Here’s what we know so far, though we’re still waiting to see who will play tech-savvy male tribute Beetee.
*WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD*
Sam Claflin as Finnick Odair
Where you’ve seen him: Snow White and the Huntsman
Role: Finnick Odair is a District 4 victor and playboy who is sent to the Third Quarter Quell with Katniss and Peeta. He wields a trident and a hypnotizing smile.
Jena Malone as Johanna Mason
Where you’ve seen her: Pride and Prejudice
Role: Johanna Mason is a District 7 victor who carries an ax. She loves teasing Katniss with her hyped up sexuality. The first time they met, she was completely nude. She’s pretty cold and we’re not sure whether or not to trust her.
Philip Seymour Hoffman as Plutarch Heavensbee
Where you’ve seen him: Moneyball
Role: He replaces Seneca Crane as Head Gamemaker, which means he’s planning the next Hunger Games.
Stephanie Leigh Schlund as Cashmere Read more…
Jena Malone will reportedly play District 7′s Johanna Mason in The Hunger Games‘ sequel, Catching Fire. Although there were reports that Mia Wasikowska and Zoe Aggeliki were contenders, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Malone was offered the part and is in the early stages of negotiations.
*SPOILERS: Mason is one of the key players in Catching Fire and the third instalment Mockingjay, as she aligns herself with Peeta and Katniss. She’s the last surviving female Hunger Games winner from District 7 and one of the youngest overall.
The role is one of the most difficult because Johanna has a strong sexuality and a lot of one-liners that are half witty and half snarky. She also introduces herself to the slightly prude Katniss completely NUDE. I hadn’t really thought of Malone for the part but she actually seems like a good fit.
Meanwhile, we’re still eagerly awaiting a final decision on Finnick Odair, a Capitol playboy and charmer. DROOL.
Who will play district hotties Finnick Odair and Johanna Mason? And WTH is happening with director Gary Ross? Portia Baladad predicts what we can expect in The Hunger Games sequel, Catching Fire.
While The Hunger Games continues to CRUSH the box office, the question on my everyone’s mind seems to be, how can the next film top it?
In Catching Fire, Peeniss Katniss and Peeta return to District 12 before ‘celebrating’ their victory in Panem. To use a cliché, Peeniss may have won the battle, but they haven’t won the war. Their double victory has Panem’s regime fuming and they decide to punish them. What President Snow and his cronies don’t know is that a revolution is looming and Katniss is the face of it. [Dum, dum, dum.]
So, what can fans expect to see next year? (WARNING: Spoilers ahead. I don’t want to Liz Lemon you all)
Will Gary Ross direct the sequel?
Unfortunately, no. Ross recently announced that he won’t be directing the next film. Time, not money, seems to be what’s keeping Ross out of the director’s chair. The film is scheduled to start production this fall, leaving its star, Jennifer Lawrence, free to film the X-Men: First Class sequel in January. Without Ross at the helm, and a nearing start date, Lionsgate is scrambling to find a new director.
The studio’s shortlist includes Alfonso Cuarón (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban), David Cronenberg (the Fly), and Alejandro González Iñárritu (Babel). They would all do the film’s darker themes justice, but what’s really bugging me is that the list is full of men! I wouldn’t mind seeing some strong female directors thrown into the mix (more notably, the Hurt Locker’s Kathryn Bigelow) especially considering Katniss is a badass herself.
Who’s playing Finnick Odair?
Considering Catching Fire doesn’t even have a director, no one knows who’ll be playing the 24 year-old hottie wielding the trident from District 4. If fans had their way, the casting directors’ list will include Alex Pettyfer, Armie Hammer, Grant Gustin and Zac Efron. While all pretty in their own right, my vote goes to Hammer, who you know from The Social Network. Strong talent is what a franchise like The Hunger Games needs to stay in both the critics’ and fans’ good graces.
What about Johanna Mason?
