It was only a week ago that we were reporting on just who Paramount Pictures had on their shortlist to direct STAR TREK 3. Since Roberto Orci departed the project, the early word was that Edgar Wright was in the frame. Then came word last week that the studio actually had a shortlist of five names that they were considering: Duncan Jones, Rupert Wyatt, Daniel Espinosa, Justin Lin, and Morten Tyldum. Jones was quick to rule himself out, but the other four names remained in the frame. Now comes news, courtesy of Deadline, that it will be Justin Lin who will take over the franchise for the third in this rebooted movies series.

Despite work on ANNAPOLIS and COMMUNITY, Lin is best known for his work on the FAST AND THE FURIOUS franchise, where he has helmed four entries in the series as well as a debut feature which he made as a prequel of sorts to the ‘cars go really fast’ movies. The director is also supposedly attached to the next Jeremy Renner-starring BOURNE movie, although whether that is still happening is a little up in the air at the moment.

STAR TREK 3 does already have a script in place, put together by Orci, Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne, and the initial plan was to push ahead for a 2016 release in order to coincide with the franchise’s 50th anniversary. Whether that script is still in the frame remains to be seen.

Expect more on this as it develops.

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