Rumor, Vulture are reporting that Oscar-nominee John C. Reilly is in talks to play "Haymitch Abernathy" in Lionsgate big screen adaption of The Hunger Games. Haymitch is a drunken, former winner of the "Hunger Games" and mentor to Katniss [Jennifer Lawrence] and Peeta [Josh Hutcherson] for the televised fight to the death. Haymitch is a resident of District 12 in the futuristic setting of Panem [formerly, North America] which is run by a single-party dictatorship led by "President Snow". "Panem" comes from the Roman saying "Panem et Circenses" which means "Bread and Circuses" and much of the novel is a reference to the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur where ancient Athens had to sacrifice fourteen youths to Crete, who were then put in the Labyrinth and were killed by the Minotaur. Reilly would be a good choice in my book, he has displayed that Dogged survivor persona in films such as The Thin Red Line and being Irish American, his ability on screen is excellent. The film will hit theaters March 23rd 2012.
