Regardless of your opinion of THE HUNGER GAMES, the film made a stunningly huge amount of money for Lionsgate this spring and the next film CATCHING FIRE is a certainty with Francis Lawrence replacing Gary Ross as director much to some people’s delight. The film is due to start filming this autumn and casting rumours and decisions are starting to trickle out from behind the scenes.

The latest actor linked to a major role is Philip Seymour Hoffman who may take the pivotal role of Plutarch Heavensbee. If you have read the books then you know what significance this character has, but if you are only familiar with the first film then this character is the sequel equivalent of Wes Bentley’s character Seneca Crane and is even more unforgiving a gamemaker as this time around it’s more rigged than ever. Reports currently indicate that Hoffman has been offered the role but he may well turn it down, as it may be too mainstream for the actor.

The other pivotal role in the next film is Finnick Odair, a man who is brought into the quarter quell hunger games that take up a majority of the plot, of course Odair hides a secret and a lot of his actions resonate through the next book. The usual names have been tossed around in connection with this role; Garrett Hedlund, Armie Hammer and Taylor Kitsch (Aaarghh!!) are the most common but there is no clear favourite.

Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Donald Sutherland and Wes Bentley will all reprise their roles from the first film. Firm announcements should be coming from Lionsgate before summers end.

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