Kitsch, Hedlund, Hammer Up For Catching Fire Role

Taylor Kitsch, Garrett Hedlund and Armie Hammer are the frontrunners to play Finnick Odair in the upcoming sequel "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" says E! (via The Playlist). Last week there was noise that "The Twilight film series" star Robert Pattinson was rumored for the role but was quickly nixed.

In the books, Odair is a handsome and tan 24-year-old from District 4 who won the annual Hunger Games ten years earlier armed with a trident and a net. He's known for having many lovers around the Capitol.

"Slumdog Millionaire" scribe Simon Beaufoy had signed on to originally go ahead and adapt author Suzanne Collins' next novel in the series a while back when Gary Ross was attached to direct. Since Francis Lawrence has replaced Ross, a new script is being commissioned.

Whomever the choice, we should expect to hear some more concrete news in the next week or so.

None of the actor's reps have commented on the story, while a Lionsgate spokesuit says "As with the first film, we won't be confirming, denying or commenting on any casting rumors for this title. We will announce news wide when there is official casting news to announce."

Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci, Lenny Kravitz and Donald Sutherland are expected to return.

Things need to move at a quickend pace since Catching Fire already has a set release date of Nov. 22, 2013, and needs to finish shooting by December so that star Jennifer Lawrence can start work on Fox's in-development as yet Untitled X-Men First Class Sequel in January.