Quentin Tarantino Says Chris Pine Is His Favorite Actor, But He Won’t Direct His ‘Star Trek’ Movie

Quentin Tarantino loves Chris Pine. Like loves him. On a recent episode of the Ringer’s Rewatchables podcast the filmmaker—who put the Pine-starring “Unstoppable” in his top 10 list movies of the decade list—said that “Wonder Woman” co-star is one of his favorite actors and basically his favorite actor of Pine’s generation.

READ MORE: Quentin Tarantino Says Tony Scott’s ‘Unstoppable’ Is One Of His Top 10 Films Of The Last Decade

“I am a huge Chris Pine fan,” Tarantino said effusively when discussing “Unstoppable” on the Ringer podcast. “Now, to me, of the actors of his age, he’s hands down my favorite — of that group, of that era, of those guys. Hands down, my favorite. When I saw him in the ‘Star Trek’ movie as Captain Kirk I thought he was making this movie. I mean I’m all aboard. And then it was so exciting to see him in ‘Unstoppable’ to get the Tony Scott treatment. He needed that to make him a movie star in my eyes. He’s filmed like a movie star and he looks it. He soaks in those colors, that lighting, those costumes. He completely holds his own against Denzel [Washington]. That’s what he needed to make himself a movie star.”

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Tarantino says he still thinks Pine is need of the role that takes him to proper superstar level, he doesn’t think he’s quite here yet, but he’s rooting for the actor. So, one has to ask, is working with Pine the reason Tarantino came up with a “Star Trek” movie idea, that he didn’t end up writing, but was seemingly set to direct?

READ MORE: Tarantino Says Tony Scott Asked To Direct ‘Reservoir Dogs’ But Had To Settle For ‘True Romance’

Well, the point is really moot now because in a recent interview with Tarantino at Deadline, the filmmaker said he won’t be directing that “Star Trek” film (which many of us predicated as soon as someone else—Mark L. Smith who wrote “The Revenant”— was hired to write the script; Tarantino only ever directs his own material).

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“I think they might make that movie, but I just don’t think I’m going to direct it,” he said.” It’s a good idea. They should definitely do it and I’ll be happy to come in and give them some notes on the first rough cut.”

READ MORE: Quentin Tarantino Says He’s “Steering Away” From ‘Star Trek’ & Talks Unmade ‘Halloween’ Sequel

Again, not much of a surprise, knowing Tarantino, especially in the manner he talks up things he might direct, but never actually does. That said, there were rumors it could involve an entirely different cast, and Simon Pegg said he may not be in it, but I guess we’ll never know until that movie is actually made (or someone spells it out specifically).

Well, that’s about as definitive as it gets and again, beware with Tarantino, because he’s enthusiastic and talks a good game, but the list of films he’s suggested he might make one day, only to discard them is legendary and long. Listen to him talk about Pine here.