The Hollywood Reporter says Chris Pine is in discussions to star as Captain Kirk in Paramount’s Star Trek and in negotiations to star opposite George Clooney in Joe Carnahan’s adaptation of the James Ellroy crime novel White Jazz.
Pine’s biggest gig to date has been the male lead in the 2006 Lindsay Lohan movie Just My Luck. He played a neo-Nazi assassin in Smokin’ Aces, also directed by Carnahan.
The biggest stumbling block to getting both roles at this point might be scheduling, adds the trade. J.J. Abrams’ “Trek” will reportedly shoot from November through March, while “Jazz” has a mid-January start. Although both sides are trying to sort out the date puzzle, it is possible that Pine and his camp could be forced to choose which role to take.
Paramount is not sitting idle while negotiations are underway – the studio is looking for backup actors to have on deck.
For “Jazz,” being produced by Cherry Road Films and Clooney’s Smoke House, Pine would play Junior Stemmons, Clooney’s partner in the film noir tale.
