Mark Wahlberg and director Rupert Wyatt are in talks to join The Gambler remake at Paramount Pictures.

Last August, Todd Phillips signed on to direct, taking over for Martin Scorsese who had been attached to direct since August 2011. Leonardo DiCaprio was, at one point, attached to star, but he is no longer involved. Deals for both Mark Wahlberg and Rupert Wyatt are still coming together, and Rupert Wyatt does have an option on an untitled project at 20th Century Fox that he may still go ahead with.

James Caan starred in the original 1974 drama The Gambler, which followed a literature professor who is addicted to gambling and gets into hot water with some local gangsters. Paul Sorvino and Lauren Hutton co-starred in the film, which was directed by Karel Reisz.

William Monahan (The Departed) wrote the screenplay for the remake, with Irwin Winkler set to produce. No production schedule was given.

Mark Wahlberg most recently starred in Pain & Gain, and he will next be seen in Transformers: Age of Extinction.

Rupert Wyatt has been looking for his follow-up to the 2011 blockbuster Rise of the Planet of the Apes since dropping out of the sequel Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, due to a rushed production schedule. He was attached to direct The Equalizer at one point before dropping out.

We reported earlier today that Rupert Wyatt is Paramount's top choice to direct Star Trek 3, with Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness director J.J. Abrams giving his endorsement for the director to take over the lucrative franchise.