Philip Seymour Hoffman joins cast of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Lionsgate Films and the filmmakers behind The Hunger Games: Catching Fire have announced that Philip Seymour Hoffman has been cast in the role of Plutarch Heavensbee, “Head Gamemaker” for The Hunger Games, in the film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ hit novel Catching Fire.

Philip Seymour Hoffman just wrapped a Broadway run as Willy Loman in the revival of Death of a Salesman for which he was nominated for a Tony Award. He will next be seen in Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master and the indie film “A Late Quartet” alongside Catherine Keener and Christopher Walken. More recent films include Moneyball, The Ides of March and Jack Goes Boating which marked Hoffman’s feature directorial debut.

The cast of The Hunger Games:Catching Fire now includes Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark, Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket, Jena Malone as Johanna Mason, Lenny Kravitz as Cinna, Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy, Stanley Tucci as Caeser Flickerman, Toby Jones as Claudius Templesmith, Donald Sutherland as President Snow, Willow Shields as Primrose Everdeenand and Philip Seymour Hoffman as Plutarch Heavensbee

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire begins as Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) has returned home safe after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson). Winning means that they must turn around and leave their family and close friends, embarking on a “Victor’s Tour” of the districts. Along the way Katniss senses that a rebellion is simmering, but the Capitol is still very much in control as President Snow (Donald Sutherland) prepares the 75th Annual Hunger Games (The Quarter Quell) – a competition that could change Panem forever.

The Hunger Games:Catching Fire will be directed by Francis Lawrence, based on a script by Michael Arndt & Simon Beaufoy, and is produced by Nina Jacobson’s Color Force in tandem with Jon Kilik. The novel on which the film is based is the second in a trilogy that has over 36 million copies in print in the U.S. alone.

Lionsgate Films will release The Hunger Games:Catching Fire on November 22, 2013.