Chris Evans in Talks to Play Iconic Actor Gene Kelly in Upcoming Film

Chris Evans could soon be stepping into legendary actor Gene Kelly's dancing shoes.

Evans, 40, is in talks to play the iconic star in a so-far untitled film, PEOPLE can confirm. Kelly died in 1996 at the age of 83 after suffering a number of strokes.

Based on an original idea from the Captain America star, the film tells the story of a 12-year-old boy who works on the MGM Lot and develops an imaginary friendship with the Singin' In The Rain actor while working on his latest movie, Deadline reports.

Evans is set to produce the film with three-time Oscar nominee John Logan, who will also pen the script.

Rian Johnson and Ram Bergman, who worked with Evans on the 2019 mystery film Knives Out, will serve as producers for T-Street Productions, according to the publication.

Meanwhile, Evans is taking on another iconic role as Toy Story's animated character Buzz Lightyear in the upcoming Pixar film Lightyear. It tells the origin story of Buzz, a character first introduced in 1995's Toy Story and voiced by Tim Allen. Lightyear, which debuts June 17, features the character Buzz the toy is based on, rather than the actual toy featured in the original film.

Evans said in October that voicing Buzz is "a dream come true."

"Anyone who knows me knows that my love for animated films runs deep. I can't believe that I get to be a part of the Pixar family and work with these truly brilliant artists who tell stories unlike anyone else," he said. "Watching them work is nothing short of magic. I pinch myself every day."

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Disney first announced Evans would voice Buzz in December 2020. Shortly after, Evans confirmed the role as he shared his excitement in an Instagram post, writing, "My team could barely contain their excitement when they told me that Pixar had a pitch for me. All they said was 'Buzz Lightyear'. I didn't know what that meant, since Tim Allen is Buzz Lightyear, and no one could ever touch his performance. I needed to know how this character was different and why this story was worth telling."

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Evans continued, "I can say 2 things with absolute confidence: 1.. I didn't stop smiling through the ENTIRE pitch. Ear to ear. 2. Everyone can rest easy. And get very excited. Trust me when I say that they REALLY know what they're doing over there. This one is gonna special, and it doesn't step on a single thing. I can't even put my excitement into words. I smile every time I think about it."