Idris Elba may portray villain in 'Star Trek 3'

LOS ANGELES, March 25 (UPI) -- Idris Elba is reportedly in talks to join the cast of Star Trek 3.

Sources confirmed to Variety the 42-year-old actor is in early negotiations and would portray the film's villain.

Fast & Furious director Justin Lin will helm the sequel, with J.J. Adams as producer. Chris Pine will return as James T. Kirk, with Zachary Quinto as Spock, Zoe Saldana as Nyota Uhura and Simon Pegg as Montgomery "Scotty" Scott.

Pegg will also co-write the script with Dark Blue co-creator Doug Jung. Production is expected to begin in June, and the movie is scheduled to open in theaters July 8, 2016. William Shatner may appear as Kirk with Pine in a scene.

Elba last appeared Sean Penn in The Gunman, and will replace Jamie Foxx in revenge film The Trap. The actor is scheduled for a number of other projects, including Beasts of No Nation with Ama Abebrese, A Hundred Streets with Gemma Arterton and Marvel movie Avengers: Age of Ultron.