After canceling the Apocalypse in “Pacific Rim,” Idris Elba looks to be joining another major sci-fi franchise, as he’s in negotiations to play the villain in “Star Trek 3,” an individual familiar with the project has told TheWrap.
Justin Lin will direct Paramount’s sequel, which brings back Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, Karl Urban and Anton Yelchin.
J.J. Abrams will produce with his Bad Robot partner Bryan Burke and Skydance’s David Ellison. Production will start this summer after Elba wraps Harmony Korine’s “The Trap.”
The news was first reported by Variety, which suggests that Elba may be playing a Klingon, though representatives for the actor did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Likewise, Paramount has not responded to a request for comment.
Elba will soon be seen reprising his “Thor” character of Heimdall in Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron.” He also stars in Cary Fukunaga’s “Beasts of No Nation,” which Netflix recently acquired with the hopes of making an awards push for Elba, who also has Disney’s “The Jungle Book” and the indie action-thriller “Bastille Day” on the horizon.
He’s represented by WME.