Before he returns to the Captain's chair as James T. Kirk in the next Star Trek movie, Hollywood wants to get a bit more action from Chris Pine – who I think could easily become the next Matt Damon if he picks the right projects going forward. But will he pick the right ones? Variety tells us that Paramount wants Pine to star in the fact-based drama The Art of Making Money, with Eagle Eye director D.J. Caruso behind the camera. The studio also wants to place this puppy on the fast-track, with production set to begin early next year.
If all the deals fall into place, Pine – who's currently filming alongside Denzel Washington in the Tony Scott-directed drama Unstoppable – would play Art Williams, a petty theft in Chicago who rose to become a master counterfeiter. The film will be based on a Rolling Stone article by Jason Kersten, who eventually turned the story into a book. During his counterfeiting career (if you can call it a "career"), Williams is said to have produced more than ten million phony dollars – a lot of which he spent on things he later donated to thrift shops alongside his girlfriend.
Knowing there's a girlfriend involved probably means there's a spot for a female lead, too. But which lady would look cozy alongside Pine as he masters the art of counterfeiting? That's your call. I'll be over here crossing my fingers that the film won't turn out to be a half-assed cross between 21 and Catch Me If You Can.
