The cast for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire continues to grow and many of the casting rumors are being confirmed. We previously reported that Jena Malone has beat out Mia Wasikowska and Zoe Aggeliki for the role of Johanna Mason. During that time, Philip Seymour Hoffman was rumored to take the role of the new game maker Plutarch Heavensbee.

Well consider that rumor to be confirmed. Hoffman will indeed be playing the part of Heavensbee the new game maker hired for the Third Quarter Quell.

Last week word surfaced that actress Jena Malone had become the frontrunner to land the part of Johanna Mason in the upcoming sequel to The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, surpassing Mia Wasikowska and Zoe Aggeliki, who were first thought to be the top choices to play the character.

Now comes word that Malone has officially been offered the job, and has entered into negotiations to play Johanna. It’s also assumed that the deal would include the third movie in the series, Mockingjay, in which Johanna will be a crucial part.

When we last heard about a casting for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, we had Garret Hedlund, Taylor Kitsch, and Armie Hammer all in the running for the role of Finnick Odair. But as the weeks progressed, it was revealed that Kitsch had taken himself out of the running and film producer Nina Jacobson said that neither Hammer nor Hedlund were in the running from the start. So while the actor claiming the role of Finnick Odair has yet to be revealed, we are learning of a new name that could possibly take another pivotal role in this sequel.

According to Variety, Academy Award-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman has been offered the role of Plutarch Heavensbee. A bit of a spoiler for those who hasn’t seen the movie or read the book follows, so turn back know if you don’t want to know any more.

Two of next year’s most anticipated blockbusters are getting their release dates shifted. Gore Verbinski‘s big screen adaptation of The Lone Ranger starring Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer has moved from May 31st to July 3rd, pitting it against Despicable Me 2 and 20th Century Fox’s 3D re-release of Independence Day. Meanwhile, the Marvel Studios sequel Thor 2 being directed by Alan Taylor (Game of Thrones) will now open on November 8th instead of November 15th, giving it a much-needed two-week head start before the release of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

The Thor 2 release date move is a canny one as it will need all the time it can get before Catching Fire is released. While there’s no doubt that the original Thor was a successful film and has seen its following grow substantially in the wake of The Avengers, the first Hunger Games has the greatest appeal to younger moviegoers, particularly since both movies will be competing for those all-important holiday season dollars.

With every sequel comes new character roles that need to be filled, such as that with the upcoming sequel to the adaptation of the Suzanne Collins novel Catching Fire, the second book in the successful Hunger Games trilogy. Among the top roles in the sequel, officially titled The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, is that of Finnick Odair. I’ll try to describe the character with the least amount of spoilers possible: He is a highly capable athlete brought in to take part in a newly designed game.

Since Gary Ross has decided not to come back to direct Catching Fire, Lionsgate has hired Francis Lawrence to direct the sequel, and now he is tasked with recruiting an actor to play the role of Finnick. According to E! Online, the top three names are Armie Hammer, Taylor Kitsch, and Garrett Hedlund.