You guys! Have you heard the latest about the Hunger Games sequel Catching Fire? Word on the street is that Lionsgate wants a certain young star for the red-hot role of Finnick Odair—a certain sparkling young star, if you will. That's right, I'm talking about Robert Pattinson! R-PATTZ IN THE HUNGER GAMES IT'S LIKE ALL THE SWEATY YOUNG ADULT FANFICS JUST CAME TRUE OMG!!!

Well, except for the part about how it's not really going to happen. Pattinson himself debunked this rumor, and although some fans may be disappointed to hear he won't be playing the part, his reaction to the bad intel was pretty damn funny.

Apparently Pattinson isn't immune to widespread Internet gossip, because he says when he was in Cannes last weekend (for his Cosmopolis premiere), he stumbled across the increasingly pervasive rumor:

I woke up this morning and saw all these things about me being cast in The Hunger Games. I was kind of curious for a second. So I called my agent.

And what, pray tell, did his agent have to say?

My agent was like, 'No. ... No one's going to offer you that part.'

Pattinson ended up laughing about it, saying, "I was like, thanks for the reassurance," and if that isn't one of the most charming ways to shoot down a casting rumor, I don't know what is. Aw, who's doing a bang-up job of maintaining his heartthrob status? YOU are! SUCH a good boy!

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Now, personally I'm glad to hear the whole thing was B.S., because not only did it seem silly for Pattinson to hitch his acting wagon to yet another mega-series just as he's untethering from Twilight, but the idea of a franchise crossover was just too cheesy to contemplate.

However, you have to admit this is one rumor that was great for both R-Pattz and Lionsgate. Pattinson gets the industry validation that he's still a platinum commodity who can stir up all kinds of buzz, and Lionsgate rakes in yet another free wave of publicity for Catching Fire. In fact, I suspect the studio deliberately stoked the speculation by their vague statement on the casting gossip:

As with the first film, we won't be confirming, denying or commenting any casting rumors for this title. We will announce news wide when there is official casting news to announce.

Well played, Lionsgate. *golf clap*

As for Finnick Odair, what do you think—would Pattinson have fit the part? We know Odair is supposed to be tall, muscular, athletic, tanned, with bronze hair and “incredible” sea-green eyes ... got any casting suggestions of your own? (My vote? Alex Pettyfer.)


Image via Flickr/evarinaldiphotography