Matt Damon as ?young? Kirk? | Report this post to moderator
By: CW1701 (Odo's file, contact) @ 09:55:34 on Jul 03, 2006

Do the math. William Shatner first appeared on Star Trek, at the rank of Captain no less, at the age of thirty-five. Matt Damon is already thirty-five.
How is this considered to be a YOUNGER VERSION of Kirk???
Maybe this sounds stupid, but if they intend to cast actors to play STUDENTS at Star Fleet Academy, should they not be at least still in their twenties???

Duh.

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Thumb's Up | Report this post to moderator
By: Von Bruno (Odo's file, contact) @ 06:08:02 on Jun 26, 2006

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Will MATT DAMON get beamed up? Could happen. I'm told J.J. ABRAMS is very interested in casting the Oscar-winning Damon as a young Captain Kirk in the upcoming 'Star Trek' movie that he's directing and producing. He's so interested that he's apparently already sought support from the original Kirk, WILLIAM SHATNER.

Well, I can see a physical resemblence between the two actors (Matt Damon and William Shatner) and Damon is a much stronger choice (acting wise) than his evil twin, Ben (Just Call Me 'Todd') Affleck. Now, here's hoping they sign Michael Richards to play a young, socially awkward, Mr. Spock.


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Kirk | Report this post to moderator
By: Scorpius (Odo's file, contact) @ 18:02:13 on Jun 25, 2006

I don't care who plays him, what I'm bothered about with a continuation/prequel, is that it's always going to be in the back of my mind what a shitty ending and death the character has, despite any past adventure, Kirk dies like a red shirt because of Berman and Braga and Moore.

Only if there was a simultaneous story of Kirk's rescue by Spock would it truly be my cup of ractageno

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No one can replace Shatner | Report this post to moderator
By: psp1 (Odo's file, contact) @ 16:04:11 on Jun 25, 2006

Shater defines the Kirk role. Every Captain after him has been a very pale imitation. No one has really pulled off the role (although Sisko came close).

Vulnerability. Charm. Pigheadedness. Hamming it up. Defending his friends till the ends of the universe. Physically beating up every powerful bad guy ( no matter how strong they were). Outwitting computers. Loving women.

He's the only one who could do it all. Picard was far too serious. The only contemporary analogy we have for captains are sea faring captains ( and so much of the Star Trek model is based on the sea faring tradition , including Roddenberry's original vision of Hornblower analogies.). And anyone with even modest experience there can tell you the Captains resemble Kirk far more than they do Picard or the buttoned up personality-free, vanilla successors. Flaws, warts and all- no human is free of them (except for the hokey Captains written into subsequent series).

Anyway, you cant put another actor in for Kirk, no matter how talented. You are better off putting in a new Captain and make him the vanilla-Captain-of-the-week who has all the Starfleet regulations memorized and never does anything wrong (like screw a woman on his ship). That way atleast you wont hurt the franchise- even though you wont do anything to further it.

On the other hand, you could introduce a new Captain who is such a rogue that he makes Kirk look like a saint. I think that would infuse some new personality and energy into the franchise and dispense with the 'holier than thou' Federation gospel. It's hard to see how in a universe full of aliens willing to slaughter you on sight you would remain boy scouts.




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I feel the same way about Matt Damon as... | Report this post to moderator
By: Cylykon (Odo's file, contact) @ 13:49:50 on Jun 23, 2006

Parker and Stone do. It will probably be the only Trek film I won't see as I would rather read a bad Trek paperback than try to suspend the amount of disbelief I would have while watching Damon try to be a young Kirk.

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Sounds like a re-boot... | Report this post to moderator
By: JagMan (Odo's file, contact, web site) @ 07:14:16 on Jun 23, 2006

It sounds like they're re-casting the original characters while maintaining established continuity. In other words, new adventure with Kirk and his crew but with new faces in old parts, much like the New Voyages fan series.

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Does this confirm the rumors then? | Report this post to moderator
By: sb2004 (Odo's file, contact) @ 06:57:47 on Jun 23, 2006

Oh dear, I guess this pretty much confirms the rumor that Trek XI will in fact be the Starfleet Academy concept Harve Bennett and Rick Berman were pushing. I was hoping Abrams' rather ambiguous comments on this opened the door for this to be something else.

I still say doing a prequel like this is gonna be a huge miscalculation....

Damon as Kirk? Meh. Then again, I'm of the opinion no one will satisfy the masses in the role. And if you think this is bad, wait till they start casting Spock ...

Al

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Oh, in that case ... | Report this post to moderator
By: Counselor Knight (Odo's file, contact) @ 07:24:19 on Jun 22, 2006

If anyone were to get my personal stamp of approval it would be Matt Damon. I hope he at least tries to play the established character as originated by Shatner. I would go see this if I weren't a trek fan just to see Damon in the role. However, staying with continuity is a must.

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Young Kirk? | Report this post to moderator
By: Captain Chris (Odo's file, contact) @ 07:22:49 on Jun 22, 2006

This doesn't make sense. Captain Kirk was in his early thirties by the time he got command of the Enterprise. Matt Damon is already in his late thirties. How can he pass as a college aged cadet?

Also, if this is purported to be about Kirk and Spock during their academy years, that too, doesn't make sense. If you look at the time line, Spock is considerably older than Kirk. He was serving under Captain Pike around the time Kirk was academy age.

Just an observation.

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Matt Damon as Kirk | Report this post to moderator
By: Rhiannon (Odo's file, contact, web site) @ 03:31:41 on Jun 22, 2006

like this... ?



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They should go for Gyllenhaal instead | Report this post to moderator
By: 3 of 19 (Odo's file, contact) @ 02:41:15 on Jun 22, 2006

Honestly, Matt Damon?
They should rather try and get Jake Gyllenhaal. Now there's a good actor. Look no further than Donnie Darko, Brokeback Mountain and Jarhead for proof.
He's hot in the media, has lots of fans, and won't cost as much as Damon.

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Well duh. | Report this post to moderator
By: frizzymaster (Odo's file, contact) @ 21:12:07 on Jun 21, 2006

What man wouldn't "love" the idea of Matt Damon playing a younger version of himself?

That's right up there with, "Oh, we're fresh out of five dollar bills. Guess I'll have to give you a twenties in change. Do you mind?"

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cool | Report this post to moderator
By: VoR (Odo's file, contact) @ 20:34:51 on Jun 21, 2006

Love this idea... but I think it might be too good to be true. Like Tom Hanks in First Contact or Sean Connery in Final Frontier. An actor with Damon's skill may be too much to hope for.

Here's hopin...

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NO.. this is just wrong | Report this post to moderator
By: GreatCzarsGhost (Odo's file, contact) @ 19:34:05 on Jun 21, 2006

Kirk has a fire in his soul, a twinkle of confidence in his eye, and the balls to change the universe. Shatner could pull it off because he had/has an ego almost as big as the universe itself.

Matt Damon dose not have the "presence" that Shatner created in Kirk. Even super tough guy Jason Bourne spends most of his movies reacting to events and often coming across as a lost puppy with claws. Matt Damon is no James Tiberius Kirk.

And if you still don't get it... just close your eyes and picture near the end of ST5 with Matt Damon standing up to "GOD" and trying to get out the words... "Excuse me, but what need does God have for a starship? ...




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Interesting | Report this post to moderator
By: Postdoc (Odo's file, contact) @ 18:51:01 on Jun 21, 2006

I like Matt Damon, he could bring some serious abilities and dimensions to the role. He doesn't have Shatner's disarming universality in appearance, but no one else seems to. I still want Shatner to be Kirk at least for five minutes though.

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Would rather a different direction | Report this post to moderator
By: Norm3 (Odo's file, contact) @ 17:45:29 on Jun 21, 2006

But I think Damon's a good casting choice for Kirk.

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Would rather a different direction | Report this post to moderator
By: Norm3 (Odo's file, contact) @ 17:45:21 on Jun 21, 2006 | (1)

above

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Blech | Report this post to moderator
By: Cymro [The Welshylon] (Odo's file, contact) @ 17:03:14 on Jun 21, 2006

This guy ain't no Kirk.



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mmm...

'cos everyone's looking for someone to blame

censorship rules, still the problem remains

(you) watch with your eyes closed and still you complain

'til no-one has an independent thought in their brain

and it's always the same



"With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censored, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably." -- Captain Picard



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Young Kirk The Movie | Report this post to moderator
By: GustavoLeao (Odo's file, contact, web site) @ 14:49:29 on Jun 21, 2006

Oh dear. As I said before, I have no interest in a young Kirk and Spock movie. Damon is a fine actor, but I cant see him as James Tiberius Kirk. Just my two cents

Gustavo

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Damon on a network? | Report this post to moderator
By: Gary P (Odo's file, contact) @ 13:51:49 on Jun 21, 2006

I have no problem with Damon playing Kirk. My only issue is that this might ruin the possibility of this movie spinning off into a successful television series, which is what I was hoping it would do. I don't want to see a successful movie franchise as much as I would want to see a great new series. I want another series, and Damon is too big a movie star for network television. My gut is to hire a no-name just so there's more room to maneuver in the future. My two cents.

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That's acceptable | Report this post to moderator
By: Ro (Odo's file, contact, web site) @ 13:20:29 on Jun 21, 2006 | (1)

Damon's a decent enough actor.

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Not Academy then | Report this post to moderator
By: Meglo (Odo's file, contact) @ 13:19:55 on Jun 21, 2006

At least this means it won't be set at the Academy. Damon's too old for that.

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Ummm...lets not forget the obvious | Report this post to moderator
By: Trekker121 (Odo's file, contact, web site) @ 13:11:35 on Jun 21, 2006

Matt Damon is Hot! I think that'd keep a lot of people interested and most ceratainly has the star power to bring in a large crowd and media attention. As long as the movie is good it could be a good combo!

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Better Damon than Affleck! | Report this post to moderator
By: Schpock (Odo's file, contact) @ 12:45:37 on Jun 21, 2006

This is one of the more palatable choices offered up so far. Tempermentally, I think he fits the bill. Captain Kirk has some mighty big shoes to fill. I would prefer an unknown to take such a role, but there is no assurance that an unknown could really pull it off. Damon won't be creating a new character, he'll be doing what the kid in Dumb and Dumberer did with the role established by Jim Carrey.

That said, I don't hate this idea, it's a good anchorpoint for the rest of the production. There's starpower in the role of the legendary Captain Kirk, sounds like a good enough place as any to start. But I'm really more concerned with the story that's going to be told. My suggestion is to hearken back to the kind of storytelling on TOS where intelligent thinking meets real action.

All in all, I'm really excited about seeing some new production values applied to the Star Trek franchise. I can only imagine what the story might entail or what the set design will look like. TOS was groundbreaking, edgy, compassionate, and forward thinking. I look to Abrams work on this to update the Star Trek package as it was originally crafted for the 21st century.

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Damon and Jilad at Tenagra | Report this post to moderator
By: Dukat (Odo's file, contact, web site) @ 12:40:21 on Jun 21, 2006

I was a little afraid of this one, but better Damon than Afflek. If JJ decides that Affleck plays Spock, that will be a problem.

Of course there is the issue that Damon would be playing a young Kirk, but Damon will himself be older than Shatner was when Shatner played Kirk in 1966.

According to my wife- Damon doesn't look nearly as good as Shatner did then.



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But Damon is a Ferengi!!!!!! | Report this post to moderator
By: Terry212 (Odo's file, contact, web site) @ 12:18:02 on Jun 21, 2006

A Damon is going to play Kirk? Shatner (stumbles backward and falls): "Ferengi bastard! You're younger than my son! Ferengi....bastard!"

Seriously, I like Matt Damon. If there's going to be a "big name" playing Young Kirk, I'm okay with him. He's got that wide face and farmboy sort of features. And he's a decent actor. I'm sort of against this idea generally, but whaever. I'm more comfortable with Abrams and Damon than I am with a lot of other Young Kirk combinations.



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