The Hunger Games Star Is "100%" Willing to Return in Prequel Movie

With The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes having hit theaters late last year, there's been an influx of fresh interest in The Hunger Games franchise, especially with fans calling for various prequels to expand on the story of characters from the first films, including the beloved character Finnick Odair. Now, Finnick actor Sam Claflin says that while he might be too old now to play Finnick he's open to returning to the franchise for a prequel — as Finnick's father.

"I don't know if there's room for me to go back. I'm too old now," Claflin told Variety. "I've heard rumors that people are asking for a Finnick prequel, and all I'm gonna say is that I would be all in for Finnick's dad."

Claflin also revealed that he has seen The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes and he has nothing but praise for it.

"Of course I have [seen it]" he said. "If you love the Hunger Games series, you will love this movie. Francis Lawrence at the helm is sort of a dagger in the heart because I thought he was ours, but I'm so glad that he's stuck with it."

Another The Hunger Games Star is Down to Return to the Franchise

Peeta actor Josh Hutcherson recently revealed that he'd be willing to return to the franchise to revisit his character — but that the cast of the first films, Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, has to be involved.

"Absolutely. Absolutely," he said when asked if he'd want to revisit Peeta. "Getting me and Jen, Liam, Woody, and Elizabeth. If we get the whole gang back together, I'm in 100 percent."

Will There Be More The Hunger Games Movies?

At this point, it doesn't seem very likely that there will be additional The Hunger Games movies. Author Suzanne Collins, who wrote all of the books the films are based on has not written any novels that tell a story past Mockingjay, which — in the novel — jumped the story two decades ahead to reveal Katniss and Peeta to be married with two children and the Hunger Games now abolished. Additionally, film franchise director Francis Lawrence has said that any future installments would have to be rooted in an idea from Collins herself.

"I liked being part of the series originally because the stories are great," Lawrence explained. "But what was always gratifying was that they were always about something. Suzanne always writes from a thematic foundation. The original ones were all about the consequences of war. [Songbirds and Snakes is] about the state of nature. That's what makes them feel rich and not superficial, and I think it's why they've stood the test of time, honestly... If Suzanne has another thematic idea that she feels fits into the world of Panem — whether that's with new people [or] familiar characters [like] Finnick, Haymitch, whoever — I'd be really interested in looking at it and being a part of it. But I don't have any pull of just going, 'I would love to do Finnick's games.' He's a great character, but what's the thematic underpinnings that make it worth telling and relevant?"