Chris Pine circling Jeff Nichols coming-of-age drama MUD

Chris Pine is circling a new coming-of-age drama entitled Mud. The film will be written and directed by Jeff Nichols and produced by Aaron Ryder (Memento). Ryder revealed the news in an interview with the LA Times, but declined to comment on Pine's status. He did say that the film would be a drama about figuring out one's place in the world, similar to Stand By Me.

Nichols has been receiving a lot of buzz for the supernatural drama Take Shelter, which is playing as part of the Critics Week section of Cannes. The film stars Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain and will arrive in theaters later this year. Be sure to read our review of the film here. 

Mud will center on "two 14-year-boys who come across an adult fugitive of the law, the titular Mud (who would be played by Pine) and must help him escape off an island in the Mississippi. The ambiguity of the story lies with Mud, who is both an unsavory and a redemptive character and who teaches the boys as much as he learns from them."

The film is being financed by Glen Basner's FilmNation, which was behind the sale of Rian Johnson's Looper starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and is selling The Wettest County in the World starring Shia LaBeouf. 
 
Sounds very much like a modern-day retelling of Huck Finn. I like Pine and think that he would be perfect for this film. I really look forward to seeing him show his range in more dramatic roles as well.

What are your thoughts on this news?