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‘Catching Fire’ Zeroing in On Its Finnick Odair

Easily one of the biggest new roles to be filled in the film version of The Hunger Games sequel Catching Fire — now titled The Hunger Games: Catching Fire — is Finnick Odair, a previous champion of the games who's popular with the ladies, prefers the use of a trident and has some secrets of his own. Lionsgate has apparently been on the hunt for the man to fill those shoes and three names have popped up.

Don't worry (or unfortunately?), Robert Pattinson has denied that he was ever in talks for the role, but according to E! Online, Lionsgate has some similarly big young stars in mind. They are Armie Hammer, Garrett Hedlund and Taylor Kitsch.


Interestingly, all three have been or will be stars in Disney films. Hammer has been on a roll since appearing in The Social Network. He played the prince in March's Mirror, Mirror and will surely make a name for himself staring alongside Johnny Depp in Disney's Lone Ranger as the titular hero. Kitsch has had a huge 2012 so far with starring roles in Disney's John Carter and Universal's Battleship, even though neither has been very successful in the U.S. As for Hedlund, he was the star of Disney's Tron: Legacy.

E! also mentions another source close to the project says the role could easily go to an unknown. Considering the staggering success of the first entry, a known quantity is certainly not a necessity and it would be a great opportunity for a lesser-known actor to find the spotlight. The many unknowns in the "Twilight" movies, for example, have gone on to have a greater degree of success. Then again, if Lionsgate wants to use casting to get some buzz going early for the sequel, the role of Finnick is the studio's best shot.

Stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth will all return for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, which will shoot this fall under director Francis Lawrence for a November 22, 2013 release.

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