Carano, Next Action Star?

Scott Coker must be cursing all of Hollywood over his morning coffee.

Variety.com is reporting that Gina Carano will star in Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh’s next project “Knockout,” which begins filming in February. A press release distributed Monday by Relativity Media (“Atonement,” “Step Brothers”), which will helm the project, said Carano “is in talks to join the cast” of the “female spy story in the vein of ‘The Bourne Identity.’”

Director Soderbergh hasn’t shied away from using unproven talent before, and guided Julia Roberts to her Academy Award-winning performance in “Erin Brockovich.”

Carano did not answer calls and texts for comment.

Carano, 27, is one of Strikeforce’s biggest draws, and despite her sobering first-round loss to Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos on Aug. 15, will be much-needed in the coming months as the promotion embarks on a 20-event schedule for 2010. Industry rumblings continue to swirl around a few of those shows being broadcast on CBS as early as December or January, where Carano was ratings gold for the network.

Strikeforce’s middleweight champion, Cung Le, has also answered celluloid’s call. Le stars in “Pandorum” opposite Dennis Quaid, out in September and hasn’t defended his title in 17 months.

Somebody please keep Gegard Mousasi away from Los Angeles.