If all goes well, Chris Pine will be joining George Clooney in the big screen version of James Ellroy’s White Jazz.
Pine would be playing Junior Stemmons, Clooney’s partner.
There are some issues, as Pine is also in negotiations to play Capt. James T. Kirk in J.J. Abrams upcoming Star Trek. Star Trek is slated to film from November to March, while White Jazz is to start shooting in January.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, both camps are trying to work things out. But I wonder which role Pine would take if forced to choose a role. Jazz has a lot of buzz behind it and Clooney is gold these days. Star Trek is obviously a huge franchise, but will resetting the franchise with younger versions of the iconic characters take?
Chris Pine served time opposite Lindsay Lohen (so clearly he has paid his dues) in Just My Luck, but was great as part of a trio of neo-Nazi killers in Carnahan’s Smokin’ Aces.
Update:
This is from Joe Carnahan’s web site:
I will neither confirm nor deny that statement.
I’ll just say that it would be a pleasure to reunite with Pine on WJ and go out and kill that Junior role. It’s really the second lead in the film and the one that requires the biggest corkscrew to an actor’s performance. It’s a helluva hill to summit but Pine has true, natural, unforced ability and gifts.
We’ll see how it all shakes
