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'Hunger Games' sequel reportedly eyeing Armie Hammer, Taylor Kitsch and Garrett Hedlund for the role; let's take a closer look.
By Fallon Prinzivalli
Armie Hammer
Photo: Getty Images
Fans have been rallying behind their favorite actors to star in "The Hunger Games" since the books were released. The most popular character to speculate about is Finnick Odair, who makes his debut in the franchise's second novel, "Catching Fire."
With the movie set to begin filming in the fall, rumors have been flying surrounding who will land the role of the dreamy District 4 victor. Most recently, Robert Pattinson was linked to the part, and even though fans supported him, he quickly denied those rumors.
With countless actors' names tossed into the casting hat, there's speculation that the film may be down to its final three choices for Finnick. E! Online reports a source who revealed the top guys in the running are "Battleship" star Taylor Kitsch, "The Social Network" actor Armie Hammer and "TRON: Legacy" star Garrett Hedlund. When MTV News reached out to Lionsgate for confirmation, we received this statement: "Like the first film, Lionsgate won't be commenting on any of the rumors until we officially announce."
Alongside "Bridesmaids," "The Hunger Games" is the most-nominated film at the 2012 MTV Movie Awards landing eight nods including Best Kiss, Best Cast and the coveted Movie of the Year. Jennifer Lawrence is nominated for Best Actress, Josh Hutcherson is up for Best Actor and Liam Hemsworth has a shot at Breakthrough Performance. There's still time to vote for your favorite stars before the awards air this Sunday, June 3 at 9 p.m. ET by heading over to MovieAwards.MTV.com. So while we wait to see which film is your favorite and which leading man is joining this incredible cast of stars, we thought we'd take a look at the good and bad of each actor landing the role of Finnick.
Taylor Kitsch
The Good: If you've seen "Friday Night Lights," you know Kitsch's ability to play a self-assured character. As womanizer Tim Riggins, he certainly knows how to gaze at a lady until she swoons. Finnick exudes the same arrogant charm — though he's more of a one-woman man. At one point in "Catching Fire," he reads a poem to the citizens of the Capitol dedicated to his one true love, and many of the audience members faint, believing it's about them. Kitsch certainly has that same charisma to capture viewers' attention.
The Bad: Kitsch's huge roles aren't gaining him any box-office success. After Disney shelled out $250 million on the epic "John Carter," it raked in only $30.6 million domestically its first weekend in theaters. Similarly, he headed up Peter Berg's "Battleship," which was released in theaters May 18 and currently has a 34 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. While he'd be a supporting character to Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss, he may need the success of the franchise more than the franchise needs him.
Armie Hammer
The Good: Like Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson, Hammer played a vital role in a film nominated for Best Picture at the 83rd annual Academy Awards. With "The Social Network" under his belt, he'd fit right in with Lawrence, who was nominated for Best Actress for her role in "Winter's Bone," and Hutcherson, whose film "The Kids Are All Right" was also nominated for Original Screenplay. He can hold his own in the spotlight and already understands the fame that comes with a wildly popular film. If the casting directors continue on their award-winning path, choosing Hammer is a no-brainer.
The Bad: His tight schedule may conflict with "The Hunger Games" when it begins filming. He's currently working on "The Lone Ranger" with Johnny Depp and is already linked to three other films with tentative 2013-14 release dates: "By Virtue Fall," "Cut Bank" and "2:22." Since this role is so important to fans, they won't want an actor who may not be able to devote 100 percent to the project.
Garrett Hedlund
The Good: Hedlund recently made his way to the Cannes Film Festival, where he debuted his film "On the Road" alongside "Twilight" star Kristen Stewart. While the film itself received mixed reviews, Owen Gleiberman from Entertainment Weekly singled out Hedlund's acting, writing, "The best thing in the movie is Garrett Hedlund's performance as Dean Moriarty. ... [He] is as hunky as the young Brad Pitt, and like Pitt, he's a wily, change-up actor. He gives Dean eyes that glitter with a seductive enthusiasm that borders on being a little cracked." Did that last sentence also instantly remind you of Finnick, "Hunger Games" fans?
The Bad: While he's been fairly successful in films like "Country Strong" and "Four Brothers," he hasn't had enough roles allowing him to prove his abilities to take on such a large project. The role of Finnick may shock him a bit, especially considering the fame that's sure to come along with it. But then again, he could always ask Stewart for advice.
While we wait to hear who will officially be taking on the role of Finnick, catch your favorite "Hunger Games" actors at the 2012 MTV Movie Awards.
Head over to MovieAwards.MTV.com to vote for your favorite flicks now! The 21st annual MTV Movie Awards air live this Sunday, June 3, at 9 p.m. ET.
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