Could Chris Pine be Captain America?

Chris Pine is already Captain Kirk. And if rumors are to be believed, there's a good chance he could soon be "Captain America" as well.

The "Star Trek" star is a busy man already, with a "Trek" sequel and a Tom Clancy/Jack Ryan movie on his plate in the next couple of years. But according to Cinema Spy, he's also on the "short list" to star in "The First Avenger: Captain America" as well. That is the word, at least, from a source who claims to be inside Paramount and privy to talks about the movie, which is due for a 2011 release.

Now, we don't know how much credence to give to the tip -- and to its credit, neither does Cinema Spy. "We're presenting it here for you to digest and discuss," the site says, "just in the event that the person is actually reputable. Because stranger things have happened, and you just never know."

True or not, it's an intriguing idea. Pine seems to fit the all-American profile of Steve Rogers pretty well, and he's certainly in the age range director Joe Johnston discussed with the L.A. Times' Hero Complex earlier this month. (He's hardly an unknown at this point, though, and Johnston has expressed a preference for finding a relative newcomer to play the role.)

Johnston wants to have the casting of the lead role locked down by March 1, when he leaves for London to start preproduction on the movie (which is set during World War II, hence the overseas location). So there's a good chance we'll hear about the casting -- be it Pine or anyone else -- in the next couple of weeks.

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Photo credit: Paramount