Keira Knightley, Felicity Jones and Evangeline Lilly have something in common -- besides their hair color. The trio of actresses are apparently on the Paramount short list to play Chris Pine's onscreen wife in the new Jack Ryan film.
Deadline.com's Mike Fleming reports the news, while adding that whoever signs on could wind up in two other Jack Ryan sequels.
Paramount's reboot of the Jack Ryan franchise has been in development for quite some time, but Pine -- who stars in the studio's "Star Trek" franchise -- has seemingly always been attached. Jack Bender ("Lost") was initially planning to direct the film, but had to drop out in March because of scheduling conflicts. He was replaced soon after by Kenneth Branagh, free from "Thor" sequel duties. In a twist, Variety reported that Branagh will also play the film's villain, a Russian evildoer with eyes on sinking the American economy by making the dollar worthless.
Knightley has kept busy with smaller-budgeted films like the upcoming "Anna Karenina" in recent years, so it remains to be seen whether she'd even want the Jack Ryan part. She expressed blockbuster fatigue in an interview with Empire magazine.
"It comes to a point where you think, 'What kind of film can I make that will allow me to live a proper life?'" she said. "And those tentpole movies make it difficult. You can’t complain about the attention you’re getting while still doing the films that invite the most attention. I do actually love blockbusters but that decision has a lot that comes with it that I’m not prepared to go with."
Jones was a 2011 It-Girl after her breakout performance in "Like Crazy." She is rumored to star in Warren Beatty's Howard Hughes project.
Lilly -- best known for her work on "Lost" -- was last seen in the 2011 film "Real Steel."
For more on the casting short list, head over to Deadline.com.
[via Deadline.com]
