Robert Pattinson to play Finnick Odair in 'Catching Fire'?

Even before that whole Twilight thing was reaching its final stages, Robert Pattinson was doing everything in his power to not be forever linked to the teen-lit franchise. For the most part he's done a good job, with a decent turn in Water for Elephants and the period drama, Bel Ami. He's currently working his way through Cannes for the premier of David Cronenberg's Cosmopolis, another sharp departure from his vampiric movie past. So for a guy who clearly wants to be left alone to work as a real actor, would it make sense for him to slip back into the frenzied world of young adult blockbusters?

The rumors have been floating around for the last day or two that Pattinson is the guy Lionsgate wants to join Jennifer Lawrence in Catching Fire, the sequel to The Hunger Games. Pattinson would play Finnick Odair, a handsome, bronze-skinned former Tribute who gets drafted into the Quarter Quell. If you don't know what a Quarter Quell is...well, then you need to catch up on your reading. Ok, it's really just another competition, except it includes a bunch of former victors thrown into the mix. Odair is a natural charmer, but he's more than just a pretty face. He's one of my favorite characters in the entire trilogy, and the thought of the milky and marginally talented Pattinson playing him has me more than a little bit pissed.


Then again, this is all just speculation. On one hand there's an obvious connection, as Pattinson's Water for Elephants director, Francis Lawrence, is now at the helm. Obviously, Lionsgate want the added buzz Pattinson would bring, and he might like the huge payday he'd no doubt receive. On the other hand, Pattinson would be committed for not only this film, but also for whenever Mockingjay gets off the ground. And you know Lionsgate will split the third book up into two movies, so that'd be three films he's committed for. I don't think that's the path Pattinson wants to go right now. We'll see how this shakes out, but it's worth keeping an eye on.

Personally, I'm hoping that whole campaign to get Jesse Williams(The Cabin in the Woods) to play Finnick ends up a success. He'd be a fantastic choice, who would also be a star that can be developed into something bigger. For other solid options, you might want to check out Rocky Hadadi's posts on just this very subject by going here. Filming on Catching Fire begins later this year for release on November 22nd, 2013. [TMT]