Sakey: Pine beamed up for South Side tale

The rising star who spent the summer cruising space as the young Capt. Kirk may next be boldly going to our city's South Side.

Chicago author Marcus Sakey has confirmed on his Web site that Chris Pine will star in the film version of his debut novel, The Blade Itself.

Writing about the recent "Star Trek" prequel, Sakey said Pine "brought both swagger and range to the role, and he's got screen charisma that's hard to beat. I'm obviously quite psyched he's attached."

The book is about a pair of South Side hoods whose lives take different paths after they botch a pawn-shop robbery. There's no guarantee, though, that the film will be shot or even set in Chicago -- especially considering its producers, the famously Bostonian Ben Affleck and Matt Damon.

Sakey was coy about the movie's other details, "not because I don't know them. Just because I like the sense of power I gain from withholding information."