It takes a special sort of actor to successfully step into the leading role of an already-established action franchise. Chris Pine has managed to do this not once, but twice in recent years, proving that he’s definitely got a future as a leading man in Hollywood. That’s a sentiment that many people seem to share, including David Gordon Green, who has just cast Pine in the lead role in his upcoming thriller The Line.
Penned by Sang Kyu Kim (The Walking Dead), The Line will tell the story of a patrol agent who is in a downward spiral after losing his wife and his son. In an unexpected turn of events, he ends up becoming the caretaker for a 10-year-old boy who was orphaned after a shootout with a criminal cartel. As the pair goes on the run, the agent finds that he has enemies on both sides of the law and the border.
Personally, I’m pretty excited to see Pine take on this role. He’s almost always enjoyable to watch but this project in particular sounds like it could be a great indicator of how he handles something a bit grittier. While Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit didn’t necessarily receive rave reviews, the film’s shortcomings weren’t Pine’s fault and it’ll be nice to see what he does with a thriller that has some more substance.
As for Green, he’s best known for his comedies Pineapple Express and Your Highness, but 2013’s Prince Avalanche also caught the attention of many moviegoers and critics. He also recently directed Nicolas Cage and Tye Sheridan in Joe, which Roadside Attractions is releasing April 11.
Rory Aitken and Ben Pugh (Welcome To The Punch) will produce The Line while Stuart Ford and Matt Jackson are on board to executive produce. IM Global is handling funding for the film and they’ll be looking for buyers at the upcoming European Film Market in Berlin.
Tell us, what do you think of The Line? Does this sound like a solid film for Chris Pine to star in? Head on down to the comments section to share your thoughts.
