Justin Bieber may star opposite Mark Wahlberg in basketball drama

Justin Bieber may be set to star opposite Mark Wahlberg in his first dramatic role for Paramount Pictures. According to Deadline, the studio is in negotiations for an untitled drama that will revolve around street basketball and giving Bieber the chance to show off his skills on the court. Never Say Never brought in a ton of cash ($97 million worldwide) for Paramount, so this deal makes sense. The film will be produced by Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson, and Scooter Braun, Bieber's manager. Ian Edelman (How To Make It In America) is writing the script. Wahlberg and Levinson produce that series as well as Entourage and Boardwalk Empire for HBO. 

The project is described as a mix of "The Color of Money meets The Karate Kid." The concept is a result of Wahlberg and Levinson seeing Bieber play ball in February during a celebrity game held during NBA All Star Game weekend. The singer played with skill, holding his own against former players and celebs; he was named MVP. Check out the video below to see Bieber in action. Before Wahlberg starred in The Basketball Diaries he was only an underwear model and hip-hop artist. I guess it's possible that Bieber could make the transition to acting in serious roles. I doubt he'll ever win an Oscar like Wahlberg, but he may likely end up focusing on acting after his singing career is over. Wahlberg has enough clout in Hollywood to get just about any project going these days. 

What are your thoughts of this news?