Nathan Fillion

We’re getting reports from a couple of untested sources suggesting that Nathan Fillion, “Firefly’s” Capt. Mal Reynolds, is about to sign on as the male lead in “Drive,” the brilliant “Lost”-ish, “Amazing Race”-ish new action-suspense-comedy-drama from “Firefly” writer-producer-co-showrunner Tim Minear.

One gathers Fillion would play Alex, which means he would replace “Charmed” hunk Ivan Sergei, who starred in the original pilot.

We’ve been told in the past that Fox could begin airing “Drive” as early as spring.