A few days ago, it was annouced that the front runner for the role of James T Kirk was a actor named Chris Pine.  Well today, "White Jazz" director, Joe Carnahan, confirmed over at his blog, that Pine has indeed accepted to put on the Starfleet uniform, thus opting not to join White Jazz along side George Clooney.  This is what Mr. Carnahan had to say.

The young man playing Junior Stemmons has opted to 'go where no man has gone before' and thus, had to bow out of WHITE JAZZ. 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.

JC is right about one thing, no one gets opportunities like this, taking over a role made legend by Bill Shatner.  Like i've said before, I've never seen Pine in any film that he's done.  There could be a few reasons why he's doing this.  One, the script could be awesome, two, the money is right, three, the simple fact that he's going to be James Kirk.  In fact it could be all of those reasons.  Some thing has to be very good to pull him away from doing a film with an amazing actor like George Clooney.

Given the fact that i've never seen any film he's been in, I'll be confident in JJ Abrams choice for the simple fact that all of the other casting has been very pleasing to myself and many others.  Pine has to do something remarkable to win a role, that is so widely known.  The role of Captian James Tiberius Kirk.

-Phil