With Jennifer Lawrence locked in the lead role of Katniss Everdeen for “The Hunger Games,” the race began last week for the other main roles with a host of names vying for the two male leads, but it appears a couple names have emerged at the top of the pack.
Deadline reports that Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson are the top contenders for the roles of Gale Hawthorne and Peeta Mellark, and they’re trying out for the part against a bunch of people we never heard of including David Henrie, Robbie Amell and Drew Roy. Hemsworth would play Gale, Lawrence’s best friend from childhood, with Hutcherson as Peeta — beating out Alexander Ludwig, Evan Peters, Hunter Parrish and Lucas Till — as her love interest in the movie.
All that being said, Deadline stresses nothing is confirmed just yet and no offers have been made but it appears the winds are blowing in the direction of Hemsworth and Hutcherson to land the roles. Gary Ross will likely get his cast solidified soon because he’s under the gun to get the film in the can for a March 23rd, 2012 release date, less than a year from now.
