Actor Timothy Olyphant almost secured the role of James Kirk in the rebooted Star Trek film series.
In the world of Hollywood, casting decisions can often lead to intriguing "what-ifs". One such instance involves Timothy Olyphant and Chris Pine, who nearly swapped roles in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek reboot trilogy.
According to Variety, Timothy Olyphant auditioned for roles in the rebooted Star Trek series, initially for the character Leonard McCoy, a role which eventually went to Karl Urban. However, the specific roles Olyphant considered for the trilogy are not detailed in the available sources.
The production team, seeking fresh faces to bring new energy while respecting the original characters, ultimately chose Chris Pine for the iconic role of James T. Kirk. Pine was 29 or 30 at the time of the first Star Trek reboot, 13 years younger than Olyphant.
Despite missing out on the Star Trek opportunity, Olyphant has had a successful career, known for leading roles in shows like Justified and Deadwood, and guest roles in The Mandalorian and Santa Clarita Diet. He has nothing but nice things to say about Chris Pine, calling him a "good dude" and expressing admiration for his work.
As for Chris Pine, he could have potentially been a part of The Mandalorian and Book of Boba Fett, but these roles were not to be.
The trajectory of both actors' filmographies could have been different had they swapped roles in the Star Trek reboot. The future of Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC Universe, and Doctor Who are topics of interest, with new projects and releases being announced regularly.
[1] Source: Variety (https://variety.com)
- Gizmodo and io9 often discuss and speculate about the future of movies, TV, and entertainment, including alternative casting scenarios like the nearly swapped roles of Timothy Olyphant and Chris Pine in the Star Trek reboot.
- In movies-and-tv.com, articles delve into the historical casting decisions in the world of Hollywood, such as the almost-befalls Olyphant and Pine getting opposite roles in the Star Trek reboot trilogy.
- After Variety revealed that Timothy Olyphant auditioned for roles in the Star Trek reboot but didn't get them, tech-focused outlets like Gizmodo and io9 pondered about how the use of technology in movie-making could have altered the casting process.
- In a potential turn of events, if Olyphant and Pine had swapped roles in the Star Trek reboot, celebrity publications like Just Jared and E! Online might have reported on interviews with these celebrities discussing their experience with different characters and franchises.
