Chris Pine officially joins Star Trek

After days of speculation, rumour, whispering and scheduling talks, Just My Luck/Smokin’ Aces thesp Chris Pine has officially been invited to sit down in Captain Kirk’s chair for JJ Abrams’ relaunch of Star Trek.

The loser in this story is Joe Carnahan, who had hoped to cast Pine in White Jazz. But writing on his blog, it’s clear the director isn’t bitter.
“I've been talking to him this past week and knew how tough the decision had to be for him. I don't envy ever being in that spot but I gave him my full support, even if it meant he didn't do Jazz. I get it. You don't get opportunities like that often and I told him as long as he could control as much of that process as possible and not get sucked into doing lesser sequels as a result of taking this gig, then good luck and God bless.” Carnahan goes on to say that he’s even earmarked a place for Pine in his Jazz follow-up, Killing Pablo. Now that’s how you should behave if you want respect, folks.

The other thing Pine will have to master is the perfect Shatner delivery. Let’s hope the Shat will give him some tips.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that Total Film had become either Total Trek or Total Abrams in the last few days. There are two reasons for that: one, there have been a flurry of casting announcements this last couple of weeks and two, the writer of many of these news stories is a bloody huge Trek geek.

Things should quieten down a little now as one, the major cast announcements are almost complete for the movie (though they still need a Dr McCoy – Karl Urban’s the top whisper) and we’re putting our man on some medication so he stops prattling like an excited child.

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