Sam Clafflin cast as Finnick Odair, other 'Catching Fire' news

One of the most anticipated movies of the next year, the adaptation of the second book in the mega-popular Hunger Games trilogy, Catching Fire hasn't even started filming yet, but the buzz on it is enormous. A few days ago, I did not only shockingly realize that when the movie will come out, I will already be in high school, but also discovered that the casting for most of the important roles have been confirmed. As a big fan of the movies and the books, I am quite happy with the casting, as I think that Philip Seymour Hoffman as Plutarh Heavensbee will bring a bit of high-class into the franchise, I can totally imagine Jena Malone as Johanna and I also hope that the rumour of Tony Shalhoub (Monk) as Beetee will be confirmed. But there is something that tackles me and that is the casting of my favourite character of the trilogy: Finnick Odair.

Now I am a heterosexual male and I do not fantasize about Finnick as a sex symbol, but he is just such an awesome character and I do not think that the actor who was cast as him, Sam Clafflin is right. I've only seen him in Pirates of the Caribbean: On stranger tides and he wasn't anything special in there. When I read the book, I always somehow imagined Liam Hemsworth as Finnick, which was kinda weird, since Liam Hemsworth is already Gale, but whatever. I think Armie Hammer, Garett Hendlund or maybe even Joaquin Phoenix (if he was ten years younger) would have been perfect too.

Just imagine him with a trident.

What I am a bit worried too, is the director. I really enyoyed the shakycam in the first film, as it did not only avoid direct violence to keep the PG-13 rating, but also made the Games much more psychologically effective. I've only seen one movie by the new director Francis Lawrence, I am Legend and it was quite average, mostly because of the bad ending. On the other hand, I haven't seen any movies by Gary Ross before the Hunger Games either, so Francis Lawrence might be okay, too. I must say that I've particularly enyoyed the first, depressing half of I am Legend, which made being the 'last man on Earth' psychologically realistic, so maybe Francis Lawrence could still pull off those mind tricks in the Catching Fire arena part. I just hope he leaves a bit of that Gary-Ross-feel to it. 

So what do you think of the casting and the director? What do you think Catching Fire will bring us? Do you think it's going to be a 'worthy' adaptation, like the first one was? Comment below, let me know!