Matt Damon to (possibly) play Captain Kirk

[Mikeus Caesar]

Yes, me and my small society (me and one other guy) of Star Trek fans at school were shocked when we found this in the Metro newspaper (free newspaper found on British buses and trains).

'Matt Damon is tipped to take the role of a young Captain Kirk in a new Star Trek film from Lost creator JJ Abrams. Damon has the blessing of the original Kirk, William Shatner.'

So, what's your opinion? While me and my friend agree that a new Trek movie is a great thing, my friend is unsure as to whether Damon would make a good Kirk. I think he'll be fine, and look forward to it.

[Gregoshi]

I hadn't heard about this but my gut reaction is to agree with you curry - Matt seems like a very good choice. I just...hope...he can get...the voice right.

[doc_bean]

But..Shatner was horrible himself, surely this must be an improvement ?

Hell, Ben Affleck would have been an improvement...

[Mikeus Caesar]

But..Shatner was horrible himself, surely this must be an improvement ?

Hell, Ben Affleck would have been an improvement...

Shatner was great.

KHAAAAAAAN!

[lars573]

What's funny about this is that by the time the movie gets made and in theatres (2-3 years min.) Matt Damon will be older than William Shatner was when he played Kirk. Kind of defeats the concept of him playing a younger Kirk doesn't it? Guess that baby face is saving Damon again.

[Gregoshi]

Good point lars. I had that thought too in the back of my mind but I didn't know how old Damon was.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

Are any other characters from the original series going to make an appearance?

[InsaneApache]

Well he's a better actor than 'Tiberius'

The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) (in production) .... Jason Bourne
Ocean's Thirteen (2007) (pre-production) (attached) .... Linus Calwell
Untitled Lance Armstrong Project (2007) (filming) .... Lance Armstrong
The Good Shepherd (2006) (post-production) .... Edward Wilson
The Departed (2006) (post-production) .... Colin Sullivan
Margaret (2006) (post-production) .... Mr. Aaron


Syriana (2005) .... Bryan Woodman
The Brothers Grimm (2005) .... Wilhelm Grimm
Ocean's Twelve (2004) .... Linus Caldwell
The Bourne Supremacy (2004) .... Jason Bourne
... aka Bourne Verschwörung, Die (Germany)
Jersey Girl (2004) .... PR Exec #2
EuroTrip (2004) .... Donny
Stuck on You (2003) .... Bob
"HBO First Look"
- Stuck on You (2003) TV Episode .... Bob Tenor
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002) .... Matt, Bachelor #2
... aka Confessions d'un homme dangereux (Canada: French title)
"Saturday Night Live"
... aka SNL
... aka SNL 25 (USA: new title)
- Episode #28.1 (2002) TV Episode .... Host
The Bourne Identity (2002) .... Jason Bourne
... aka Bourne Identität, Die (Germany)
The Third Wheel (2002) (uncredited) .... Kevin
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002) (voice) .... Spirit
... aka Spirit (USA: promotional title)
"Will & Grace"
- A Chorus Lie (2002) TV Episode .... Owen
Gerry (2002) .... Gerry
... aka Gerry (Argentina: festival title)
The Majestic (2001) (voice) .... Luke Trimble
Ocean's Eleven (2001) .... Linus Caldwell
... aka 11 (USA: promotional abbreviation)
... aka O11 (USA: informal short title)
All the Pretty Horses (2000) .... John Grady Cole
Finding Forrester (2000) .... Steven Sanderson
The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000) .... Rannulph Junuh
Titan A.E. (2000) (voice) .... Cale Tucker
... aka Titan: After Earth (USA: promotional title)


The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) .... Tom Ripley
... aka The Mysterious Yearning Secretive Sad Lonely Troubled Confused Loving Musical Gifted Intelligent Beautiful Tender Sensitive Haunted Passionate Talented Mr. Ripley (USA: complete title)
Dogma (1999) .... Loki
Rounders (1998) .... Mike McDermott
Saving Private Ryan (1998) .... Private James Francis Ryan
Good Will Hunting (1997) .... Will Hunting
The Rainmaker (1997) .... Rudy Baylor
... aka John Grisham's The Rainmaker
Chasing Amy (1997) .... Shawn Oran - Executive #2
Glory Daze (1996) .... Edgar Pudwhacker
Courage Under Fire (1996) .... Specialist Ilario
The Good Old Boys (1995) (TV) .... Cotton Calloway
Geronimo: An American Legend (1993) .... 2nd Lt. Britton Davis
School Ties (1992) .... Charlie Dillon
Rising Son (1990) (TV) .... Charlie Robinson


The Good Mother (1988) (uncredited) .... Extra
... aka The Price of Passion (South Africa: English title: video title)
Mystic Pizza (1988) .... Steamer

Perhaps he will walk normally, rather than that ridiculous posture that 'Tiberius' adopted when running after a latex clad alien in the downtown Burbank backlot.

[Kralizec]

Damon is not a bad choice.

Any other info available on the movie? (yes, I'm lazy)

[Mikeus Caesar]

Damon is not a bad choice.

Any other info available on the movie? (yes, I'm lazy)

Try typing in 'Matt Damon Kirk' on google. Plenty of info there.

And do it yourself, you lazy sod!

[Beirut]

But..Shatner was horrible himself, surely this must be an improvement ?

Hell, Ben Affleck would have been an improvement...

"Gah!... sputter... fume... "


Now look! How can you say Shatner was horrible when what he did and the way he did it became legendary? He was exactly what he was supposed to be, "A tin platted swaggering dictator with delusions of godhood."

Shatner did not play kirk - Shatner was Kirk.

Anyone know the episode that quote comes from?

[InsaneApache]

City at the edge of tomorrow?

[lars573]

Good point lars. I had that thought too in the back of my mind but I didn't know how old Damon was.

According to IMDB, October 9 1970. He's almost 36. That is exactly the same age as Shatner was when Star Trek came on 40 years ago.

Are any other characters from the original series going to make an appearance?

Rumour I heard was it's about Kirk and Spock meeting in the academy.

[Spino]

Great, the latest brainstorm from the guy who created and ultimately ruined the Babylon 5 series. B5 had two, maybe three decent seasons in its entire run and those were the early seasons before Strazynski's muse abandoned him and his ego ran wild.

As far as I'm concerned Trek's horse died a long time ago, just before the last two seasons of Next Generation when the producers turned on the mediocrity autopilot and the plots became incredibly stale & hackneyed. Paramount should just bury the goddamn franchise before people start molesting the bones.

[Aenlic]

Rumour I heard was it's about Kirk and Spock meeting in the academy.

Now that's interesting! They can put in the bit where Kirk sneaks in and preprograms the Kobayashi Maru test. Any rumors on who will play Spock?

[Gregoshi]

"A tin platted swaggering dictator with delusions of godhood."

...Anyone know the episode that quote comes from?

The Trouble with Tribbles - at least Scotty was man enough to let that Klingon insult pass.

[Gregoshi]

Any rumors on who will play Spock?

How about Orlando Bloom - he's already got the experience with pointy ears. As young Spock he can skateboard down the halls of Star Fleet Academy on a tricorder.

[Beirut]

The Trouble with Tribbles - at least Scotty was man enough to let that Klingon insult pass.

Ma man!

[Lemur]

Trek is so old school. All the cool kids know it's all about Battlestar Galactica these days. And the new Doctor Who. Leave the Heisenberg Compensators to their creators.

Trek is dead! Long live Trek!

'Nuff said.

[Aenlic]

Battlestar Galactica? No. I can't get into it. Maybe because I caught a few episodes of the original when it first aired and just couldn't get over Ben Cartwright in space.

Blasphemy!

I was 10 years old when Star Trek was cancelled. I turned on the TV at the appointed time on, as I recall, a Friday night, and instead of Star Trek there was some lame show called "The Baron" or something like that. I was devastated!

[Navaros]

In my view any re-casting of Kirk or Spock is a horrible idea and putting Matt Damon in there just makes it even worse.

Strongly disagree that Matt Damon is a good actor. I've never seen him act differently in any of his roles.

[English assassin]

Any news yet on who is playing Miss Piggy in "Pigs In Space-the early years"?

And nice try Lemur, but I am so NOT falling for watching lame SF because it has hot chicks in it. I am still recovering from the shock of watching a few episodes of Andromeda and realising that, technically, I was fancying a computer. Time to get a life, Assassin. (She was a hottie though wasn't she?)

[Geoffrey S]

Matt Damon could be good. I know he suited the Bourne movies perfectly, which was also surprising.

Y'know, I'd love to see the Firefly series resurrected.

[Beirut]

Any news yet on who is playing Miss Piggy in "Pigs In Space-the early years"?

I almost blew a mouthful of cereal all over my nice new LCD screen because of that you shmuck.

There would have been Warning Points I yell ya!

[InsaneApache]

Originally Posted by English assassin
Any news yet on who is playing Miss Piggy in "Pigs In Space-the early years"?

I do believe that Jade Goody and Victoria Beckham have been auditioned.

[econ21]

Great, the latest brainstorm from the guy who created and ultimately ruined the Babylon 5 series. B5 had two, maybe three decent seasons in its entire run and those were the early seasons before Strazynski's muse abandoned him and his ego ran wild.

I've got to disagree with that. B5 was superb because of its 5 year story arc. The earlier two seasons were the weakest because they had fewer of the arc stories. Most TV SF is hampered by the 45 minute "reset" button. DS9, B5 and BSG2 standout because they actually have the time to tell a decent story and let the characters grow.

And nice try Lemur, but I am so NOT falling for watching lame SF because it has hot chicks in it.

Unless you think all SF is lame, you are really missing out here. BSG is just light years ahead of the original (which was the epitiome of lame SF, I agree). Just compare the characters of Baltar and Boomer. In BSG1, Baltar is an instantly forgettable, snivelling and bland pantomime villain; in BSG2, he's like Dr Bashir pumped up on crack and viagra, turned to the darkside. In BSG1, Boomer is a mere cypher; in BSG2, she can turn from sobbing emotional wreck to jackbooted dominatrix in a second. To compare the two series is like comparing Pink Floyd to the Osmonds.


Back on topic - I seem to have avoided watching everything Matt Damon has ever done. But from the clips, he seems to be a poor choice for Kirk. Too pedestrian and earnest. They need someone younger and more of a rogue.

[doc_bean]

The Trouble with Tribbles - at least Scotty was man enough to let that Klingon insult pass.

Is it just me or is that the only original Star trek episode that actually exists ? I remember the BBC broadcasting the original series again (and again) and I think i watched it twice and it was twice THAT episode !

[English assassin]

Is it just me or is that the only original Star trek episode that actually exists ? I remember the BBC broadcasting the original series again (and again) and I think i watched it twice and it was twice THAT episode !

Maybe its been breeding in the archives...

oh no I just made a star trek joke

[InsaneApache]

Boo....geroff......'Hands Ea his coat'......

'And don't let your **** hit the door on the way out....

[Mikeus Caesar]

Is it just me or is that the only original Star trek episode that actually exists ? I remember the BBC broadcasting the original series again (and again) and I think i watched it twice and it was twice THAT episode !

If you're in Britain, the Sci-Fi channel is showing Star Trek: TOS. Heheh, it's great. They showed the most infamous episode last Friday.

He's dead, Jim.