A short time ago it was reported that Sam Claflin had entered into talks to take on the role of Finnick Odair in the highly anticipated sequel to The Hunger Games, Catching Fire.

Claflin had been on a shortlist of actors wanted for the role that also included Taylor Kitsch and Garrett Hedlund.

Now comes word that the actor has officially signed on to play Finnick, a “charismatic” and “clever” resident of District 4 who won the Hunger Games when he was only 14 years of age.

Casting for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is quite literally heating up. Following the news that Amanda Plummer would be joining the cast of the film as the silent but deadly Wiress, comes news that three major roles have been cast.

It’s being reported that Sam Claflin (Snow White and the Huntsman) is in talks to join the cast as Finnick Odair, Melissa Leo (Red State, The Fighter) has been approached to play as Mags, and Tony Shalhoub (Monk, Galaxy Quest) could play Beetee.

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.

The popularity of IMAX is increasing, hopefully far enough to jump ahead of the popularity of 3D. Recently Lionsgate released The Hunger Games in Digital IMAX. For those that don’t know, it was digitally retrofitted for the IMAX screen. But there are some films that are shot using IMAX cameras, something that Christopher Nolan is a huge proponent of. Now The Hunger Games: Catching Fire will be presented in its full IMAX glory.

THR reports that Francis Lawrence will begin shooting the film this fall, with the intent on using IMAX cameras for certain scenes in the film. Now I have to go and reread the box to see which parts can been seen in IMAX.

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.