If the breathless reporting, some of it by yours truly, is any indication, the role of Finnick Odair in Catching Fire is like the most important thing happening in Hollywood right now. Granted, it's a major part in arguably the biggest franchise outside of Marvel Studios right now, so the attention is justified, especially when you consider the names being bandied about.
The buzz began last week when it was rumored that Lionsgate wanted badly for Twilight prettyboy Robert Pattinson for the role, which would have been a woeful case of miscasting on their part. A few days later he pretty much shot any chance of that happening down. A few days later, Taylor Kitsch, Garrett Hedlund, and Armie Hammer were thrown into the mix. Now one of them has stepped up to make it pretty clear how he feels about the whole thing.
Emailing the LA Times, Kitsch put it rather bluntly: "Not going to happen", when the question of playing the former Hunger Games champion came up. It would have been a perfect role for him, in my personal opinion, and a way to help Hollywood and fans forget the hundreds of millions of dollars flushed away on his so-called leading man cred. Despite those two box office duds he's had in a row, Kitsch seemed to be the popular choice, at least to the rabid Internet fangirls I occasionally check in on.
So that leaves Hammer and Hedlund, and I have a sinking feeling it may be the latter. There's always the chance Lionsgate will opt for an unknown they can build into a star. The Finnick role is a flashy one that has him in the thick of the action, both on the physical and emotional front.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is slated to open on November 22nd 2013.
