With a late 2013 release date pencilled in, and principal photography set to begin imminently, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire needs to get a move on in the casting stakes.
The sequel has several key roles to fill, including that of Johanna Mason. According to The Playlist , Mia Wasikowska ( Alice In Wonderland , Jane Eyre ) and model-actress Zoe Aggeliki are in the running to play her.
Potential plot spoilers follow for anyone who hasn't read Catching Fire .
Johanna is a former Hunger Games contestant, who goes back into the arena for the 75th Games. Fierce and dominant, she uses every opportunity to intimidate Katniss (even if that means stripping off in front of her).
She's also a snaky, hard-to-read type. It's hard to imagine Mia Wasikowska in particularly intimidating role, so it'd be an impressive feat if she pulled it off. She's steered clear of blockbuster material since Alice , but more than a lot of teen-friendly franchises, The Hunger Games does give its cast a chance to, y'know, act. And she did star in The Kids Are All Right , with THG 's Josh Hutcherson.
Zoe Aggeliki is a model with some acting experience (she'll be seen in Maniac with Elijah Wood and the Percy Jackson sequel next year). While models have a chequered history in film , a physically intimidating specimen might be just what the role requires.
Robert Pattinson has denied he'll play Finnick Odair in the highly anticipated sequel, and Philip Seymour Hoffman has been linked to the role of Plutarch Heavensbee , the new gamesmaker.
Expect to hear casting confirmations in the coming weeks. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire opens on 22 November 2012.
