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There are a lot of upcoming book adaptations on the way, but the one I’m most hyped about lately is the movie version of the latest Hunger Games novel, Sunrise on the Reaping. Not only does the book itself have fans thinking about seeing specific moments on the big screen, but the casting updates so far have been absolutely on point. (Did you see who they picked to play a younger version of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s character?) But apparently Sam Claflin, who memorably played Finnick Odair in the original movies, is just as excited as we are about the prequel.
Sam Claflin’s Finnick Odair won’t be in Sunrise on the Reaping on account of the character not being born yet during Haymitch’s games. However, the actor recently shared that he just met with the movie’s director Francis Lawrence, and Hunger Games of course came up. In his words:
I recently sat down in L.A. with Francis, who is the man who cast me. Being able to reminisce with him and hear about the producing side of it, as they are in Berlin preparing for the film, was so exciting. I was picking his brain. I’d heard who they had in mind for casting and thought, ‘Oh my god, this is so exciting!’ So I am right there with you and everyone looking forward to it.
While speaking to Variety, Claflin revealed that it wasn’t long ago when he had lunch with Lawrence as the filmmaker prepares to make his fifth Hunger Games movie in Germany. The pair first met over a decade ago when Lawrence cast Claflin as Finnick Odair, and apparently they are still very much connected.
Look, I know that a Finnick Odair Hunger Games prequel hasn’t been announced, but these comments are a solid reminder that there’s been a huge call for it over the years. When Haymitch’s story was announced, fans were quick to advocate for it, and in the past, Francis Lawrence has even name-dropped Finnick before when discussing which other character origins he’d like to explore. Here’s what else Clafin had to say as the new Hunger Games gets ready to start filming:
It’s been over 10 years since we shot the last film, and it’s absurd to think about what has happened in my life since then. It’s a huge part of my life.
Sam Claflin also said he’s a “huge lover and a fan of the world” author Suzanne Collins created with The Hunger Games, and “can’t help but feel attached to it.” Catching Fire was one of the British actor’s first after starting on other big-budget films in his 20s, like Snow White and the Huntsman and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.
Of course, before Claflin was even cast, the character of Finnick Odair was a hugely beloved fan-favorite character from The Hunger Games books, but the actor’s casting has only added to that. After Claflin’s words about his love of the films, and his contribution to them, I only want to see a Finnick prequel more.
Sure, Claflin wouldn’t necessarily be the lead of it considering it would probably be about the character’s games when he was 14, but the actor has spoken about how “Finnick deserved better” in the past. The character getting his own movie feels like the best way to remedy this.