Sam Claflin cast as Finnick Odair in ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’

Finally, we have our Finnick Odair. Actor Sam Claflin has been rumored for a while to be the frontrunner for the part, but today it was made official by Lionsgate. The British-born Claflin, 24, has starred in Pillars of the Earth, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and Snow White and the Huntsman. By far, this is the biggest role of his career and a huge part to land.

Finnick Odair is a reader-favorite. In Catching Fire, Finnick is the former Hunger Games winner for District 4 when he was 14. He has no problems with the ladies, is charming and handsome, and he's deadly with a trident. [Spoiler Alert] He joins Katniss and Peeta in the 75th Hunger Games, known as the Quarter Quell, with a twist that former Hunger Games winners are entered.

Claflin was pretty good in On Stranger Tides, and I didn't see Snow White and the Huntsman, but Claflin is a good enough looking guy for the part. Is he tall or buff enough? I'm sure he'll get big for the part, and the height doesn't matter that much, as seen by Josh Hutcherson being cast as Peeta Mellark.

Sam Claflin joins newcomers Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jena Malone and Amanda Plummer. Catching Fire is set to begin shooting this fall, and the release date is November 22, 2013.

You can follow Movies and Culture Editor Lance Liebl on Twitter @Lance_GZ

[Source: It's On the Grid]