Jena Malone In Talks To Join ‘Catching Fire’
The young actress has been offered a pivotal role in the sequel to ‘The Hunger Games’.
Having already secured Philip Seymour Hoffman (and a whole lot of credibility in the process) for a chief role in the upcoming The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, news is in that Jena Malone has also been offered a plum role in the sequel.
The actress could possibly be cast as District 7 tribute, Johanna Mason, a role that will also be reprised in the trilogy's third instalment, Mockingjay. Malone - a pro at disaffected teen movies having given starring turns in Donnie Darko and more recently in Zack Snyder's Sucker Punch - seems an obvious choice.
In Suzanne Collins' trilogy, Johanna is painted as a sly and cunning young girl, but one who's lugging around more than her share of personal baggage. In Catching Fire, Johanna is reaped for The Quarter Quell, a "special" Hunger Games that occurs every 25 years - and includes a new twist to the rules. The twist this time round is that the tributes from each district are to be chosen from the surviving victors - which sees both Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) headed back to the arena.
In this latest instalment, Philip Seymour Hoffman is set to play the role of Plutarch Heavensbee, the new head Gamekeeper, and it was announced earlier in the year that Francis Lawrence (Water For Elephants, I Am Legend) would take over directing duties following the departure of The Hunger Games' hemler, Gary Ross.
Catching Fire is set to shoot at the end of this year, with the movie due out in theatres November 2013.
Photo credit: Jena Malone, courtesy of Getty Images/ Kevin Winter.
