John Ambrose McClaren should not be recasted. Jordan Burtchett is perfect for the role, outside of the fact that he was our John in the first movie! He's actually read the trilogy and is a fan of it, and promoted the first movie practically more than anyone else on the cast (which is outrageous seeing as he only occupied a few seconds of the first movie!). There's nothing else to say other than any other actor would not feel right. Why put John in the first movie at all if you were just going to confuse viewers/mess up the continuity.