After a career-changing role in David Fincher‘s Oscar-winning ‘The Social Network’, followed by two unfortunate box office duds (‘Friends with Benefits’, ‘In Time’), Justin Timberlake has continued to make smart career decisions,

Hitting several shortlists over the last few months, including the controversial Akira remake, the male lead in Warren Beauty‘s Howard Hughes biopic, and even popping up on our wish-list for the adaptation of Ben Mezrich’s “Sex on the Moon”, Variety has now reported that the young star has signed on to New Regency’s thriller ‘Runner Runner‘.

The film, to be directed by Brad Furman (‘Lincoln Lawyer’), centers around an illegal online gambling business and the tensions between a business founder and his protege. Timberlake will possibly be teaming up with Oscar winner Ben Affleck who is still in negotiations to star. The script comes from Brian Koppelman and David Levien – whose 1998 film ‘Rounders’ also featured high-stakes gambling – and production is scheduled to begin this summer in Puerto Rico.

Timberlake recently finished filming Joel and Ethan Coen’s 1960s-set folk music drama ‘Inside Llewyn Davis’ which also stars Carey Mulligan, Oscar Isaac and Garrett Hedlund, and is currently filming alongisde Amy Adams in the Clint Eastwood baseball drama ‘Trouble with the Curve’.