Has Also Been In Talks For ‘Oz The Great And Powerful’
To be honest, this writer has about zero interest in “Hunger Games” and has found the daily, piecemeal, no-name casting announcements to be irritating as hell, but now that opinion is swinging back around. At least temporarily.
In what should get the “Hunger Games” forums and fansites buzzing this weekend, Vulture is reporting that John C. Reilly is in talks to play Haymitch Abernathy in the film. And while the movie might seem like a weird fit for Reilly, read on. Haymitch is drunk who just also happens to be the only person from District 12 — where Katniss Everdeen hails from — to have won at the Hunger Games. However, the mental and physical toll turned him to alcohol, but asked by Katniss and Peeta for help, he agrees to sober up and mentor them. So basically just take Deansie from “Cedar Rapids” and put him in “Hunger Games” and there you go (at least that’s how we like to imagine it).
It will certainly be a choice that will throw fans for a loop — John C. Reilly’s name hasn’t been anywhere near this series for any of the roles, not even in die-hard fan wishlist casting — so it will be interesting to see how the core audience reacts. But nothing is official just yet and Vulture says that he’s also been sought for a role in Sam Raimi‘s “Oz: The Great and Powerful,” but those discussions hit a roadblock, presumably because of this.
So what do you say fans? Yay or nay on Reilly? “Hunger Games” hits on March 23, 2012.
Thank god some bloggers can write. Thanks for this blog post…
Haymitch isn\’t an alcoholic simply due to the mental toll of the games. The capitol does evil things to you and people close to you even after you win. No one ever actually \”wins\” except the capitol. Until Katniss came along.
I could stand behind this. A lot of the fantasy casting I thought was off… Looking at the schedules of Robert Downey Jr, Hugh Laurie, and such…. RDJr has \”The Avengers\” filming this summer, Laurie will probably start filming \”House\” in July… Even my wish list contender, Mark Ruffalo, is Hulking it up. But I buy this, I may not see Reilly as a \”hunk\” back when he was younger (which Haymitch was), but I can see him as the lost everything, have horrid PTSD, seen 27 kids die from my neighborhood die, going to drink away life… but wait there\’s a twist (!!!!) character.
One thing to those people that think \”Hunger Games\” is \”Twilight\”-esque, it should be noted the violence, supremely graphic nature, and lack of real love story (Katniss doesn\’t even like Peeta for the first book.), make it a \”manlier\” story.