No Kitsch in ‘Catching Fire’

When reached by The Los Angeles Times about playing Finnick, Taylor Kitsch had a terse response: "Not going to happen."

Taylor Kitsch told The Los Angeles Times that he will not be playing Finnick Odair
Kitsch is already committed to director Peter Berg's Navy SEAL drama "Lone Survivor"
That film will likely be shooting at the same time as "Catching Fire"

(EW.com) -- When the report broke that Taylor Kitsch in the running to play the dashing, love-sick, oft-nearly-naked Finnick Odair in "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," I was dubious.

While starring in the sure-to-be-a-hit "Catching Fire" would help brighten Kitsch's tarnished star power thanks to the one-two punch of "John Carter" and "Battleship," Kitsch is already committed to director Peter Berg's Navy SEAL drama "Lone Survivor." That film will likely be shooting at the same time that director Francis Lawrence is in production on "Catching Fire."

If there was any doubt as to whether Kitsch would abandon his close buddy Berg for Finnick's golden trident, Kitsch himself laid that idea to rest today. When reached by The Los Angeles Times about playing the Hunger Games champion, Kitsch had a typically terse response: "Not going to happen."