Matt Damon = Captain James T. Kirk

[Dooks Dizzo]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0796366/

I am neither for nor against Star Trek (though I thought Nemesis was rather good and Wrath of Kjan was classic) so I don't have a massive opinion on Matt Damon playing Kirk in Star Trek XI but I think some people around here might.

[Starfisher]

This is the greatest thing to happen to controversy EVER.

I cannot wait to see the concetrated nerd-ery of the internet responding. Epic battle, I sense.

[Tiresias]

ahahahahahaha

[Alliance]

oh god no. I though that fool died in a horrific crash or something? he's gonna kill the movie, even if just because hes too recognised from other movies.

it'd be like nimoy acting in a vandam movie.

[DatonKallandor]

Holy Fraggin Hell. They are going the worst of the possible plot lines: Kirks days at the Academy. As for Matt - I bet they'll give Kirk some leet kung-fu skills so there's more "action", thus they chose Matt.


Daton

[TheLoneKnight]

Man, I am so glad I stopped giving a damn about Star Trek after TNG.

[ÜberJumper]

Young Shatner.

http://www.firsttvdrama.com/central/dead/kirk1.jpg

Recent Damon.

http://www.pestaola.gr/images/matt-damon-syriana04.jpg

It'd work.

[Locutus]

Why do people keep screwing over the Star Trek Franchise? :(

/me goes to cuddle with his collection of TNG & DS9 episodes.

[Alliance]

they could use sulu as far as Im concerned, he just wont be able to play the role of "over confident arrogant male" as it should be.

[Mac_Bug]

http://www.newstrekker.com/series_tos/pic_bios/spock.jpg

http://www.scifi-universe.com/upload/personnalites/grand/ben_affleck.jpg

looks like ben's going to have to shave his eyebrows

[Silver_Wolf#]

Poor Locust...the Borg got really f**ked up in Star Trek and now this?Wunderbar why don't they put Jack Black as the vulcan would make for some pretty cool conversation.

[[DP]StewMitch]

/me watches as the better parts of the ST Franchise get rewritten. Deep Space 9, for example. Maybe Avery Brooks was correct about TPTB being slightly biased against a black captain...

Edit: TPTB = The Powers That Be = Paramount; anyone involved with the creation of StarTrek.

[Hellscream]

Hey stew, wtf is TPTB????

[SquidDNA]

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in Star Trek eleven, directed by Kevin Smith!

[Diabolical]

I think it could work... they are both terrible actors so it's a good matchup.
Also, eagerly awaiting the corbomite manouver :D
Cheating is fun!

[A176]

Young Shatner.

Recent Damon.

It'd work.

Yes, it does work pretty well. For the rest of you, this is a bandwagon.

http://www.gabbf.com/images/archives/wagon.jpg

[Mnementh]

I cant think of Matt Damon without thinking of the Matt Damon! bits from Team America.

[Eboli]

I think it could work... they are both terrible actors so it's a good matchup.
Also, eagerly awaiting the corbomite manouver :D
Cheating is fun!
Whoa there, watch yourself when you talk about my boy Bill.

[Feil]

Meanwhile...

Concealed deep within the shadows, a shape--a man--is crouching. He is assembling a high-powered rifle. As he puts the last piece in place, he looks away across the rooftops at the Paramount studio.

"I told them," he murmurs darkly, his eyes flashing brightly in his dark-skinned face. It is a kind face, like one you would expect to see reading story books to children on Reading Rainbow, but there is nothing kind about the expression he is wearing today. "They made so much Star Trek that it stopped being special. I told them...
"I told them that if they bring this back before the decade is out, I would get a high-powered weapon and start picking off studio executives."

Levar Burton's face contorts into a scowl of frustration and revenge as he chambers a round.
"But they didn't listen."

[Weavern]

"Its dead Jim"

[Adonis]

If Halle Berry plays the role of Lt. Uhura, I'll definitely go see it. :D

[CrazyThumbs]

First thing that comes to mind, Team America. "Matt Damon" *smashes head on table*- matt damon

[Langy]

This really sounds like an out-of-season april fools joke:/

[Dooks Dizzo]

I think being the first to find this makes me win the internet.

[Qwaar-Jet]

This was rumoured ages ago, and it's still just a rumour. IMDB isn't exactly the most reliable source on the planet. I hope for the sake of the franchise I love so much that this is not true.

[Captain Pierce]

Like Qwaar-Jet said, this is only a rumor. Also, the "Starfleet Academy" thing is only a rumor. They haven't even finished the script yet, much less started casting.

For that matter, if the Matt Damon thing were true, it would pretty much throw the Academy rumor out the window--Damon's a little too old to be playing a teenager... ;)

The scary thing is, though, I could almost see Damon working in the role...

/me ducks the bricks thrown by all other Trek fans :bricks:

[plasmaonslaught]

that's like getting vin diesel to play spock.

[JAL-18]

I cant think of Matt Damon without thinking of the Matt Damon! bits from Team America.

Indeed. :D

[Dimension]

matt damon rocks. big up for the guy.

ST sucks however, at least late ST does. So for Damon's sake, I'd stay off that particular franchise.

unless its directed by kevin smith...

[ceejayoz]

Gotta love all the people claiming this'll destroy the franchise.

Have they not noticed Enterprise, Voyager, and the last two movies?

Bring in fresh, surprising blood and start going in a different direction. Star Trek as we've known it sucks. Damon has done some good movies, so I could see it all working out.

[Captain Pierce]

Well, this one is being written, produced, and "probably" directed by JJ Abrams of "Lost"/"Alias"/M:I:III fame, and Rick Berman and Brannon Braga (AKA TPTB) are nowhere to be found. So that's a positive sign. Another is that Abrams is saying things in interviews that make me think he gets what makes good Trek, like this thing he said in TV Guide last week:

The original series and Next Generation were about...human nature and the idea of coming up against the unexpected and the often terrifying. When I watch episodes with my 7-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter and see them so vitally respond to a show that was made the year I was born — it's not because it takes place on a spaceship. What endures isn't a genre, it's character and emotional connection.

As for Kevin Smith directing a Trek film... after Clerks 2, I don't even want to think about what sort of "interspecies erotica" he could work into Star Trek... :yech:

Oh, and Sci-Fi Wire had this rumor (http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=7&id=36682) on June 22, just for the record. ;)

[SchizoBadger]

I really wish they would give up this whole 'Star Trek forever!1' way of thinking. Star Trek was good in it's day, stop making Star Trek and keep the small amount of dignity left in this license while you are ahead! People really need to move on with their lives.

[A176]

...and a teaser poster can be found here (http://www.startrek.com//custom/include/series/MOV/011/poster1/800x1035.jpg).

[Retroboy]

k for all those saying "Matt Damon? WTF?" - who else would have made a better Young Kirk?
I thought he was simply excellent in the Bourne movies.

-- Retro

[AceRimmer]

Somehow the most sensible thing to do is to reserve my judgement for the final product. Everything trek movie/tv show I have enjoyed so unless it's total crap then I won't class it as such.

Besides it's not until 2008, plenty of time yet for speculation. ;)

[Dimension]

k for all those saying "Matt Damon? WTF?" - who else would have made a better Young Kirk?

They could've taken a fresh face. I don't think anyone starring in any of the ST films except for Patrick Stewart was notably famous before ST brought them out.

borrom line, you don't need to use wildly popular actors in such a situation. In fact, oftentimes these things are a bit counterproductive.

[Kryopsis]

Have they not noticed Enterprise, Voyager, and the last two movies?
What was wrong with Voyager? I personally loved it.

The Bourne movies were excellent. I serously don't see what's wrong with Matt Daemon.

[Dimension]

whats wrong with matt damon is that some people are a bunch of lunatics incapable of telling reality apart from "Team America".

I've not seen a single film in which Matt Damon didn't perform well.

[Langy]

I just can't see Matt Damon doing a very convincing Kirk. I can just see him completely overdoing Kirkspeak. Not to mention the swagger!

Honestly, I don't think it's that bad, it just seems silly. I'd rather have a no-name person cast as Kirk, just because then I'd have no preconcieved notions about the actor.

[SACSlym]

I'm just worried about it not being a unknown to the media, as in Star Trek really used the unknown talent well, not that I'm saying Patrick Stewart, or Avery Brooks were unknowns, but as regular television went or for that matter movies, they weren't showing up in something every 1-2 years, except on the stage. Using a well known face could either make the movie seem too much built around his persona as an actor, or simply not fit him at all.

In the end it will really depend on a solid script, fine directing, and a good editing team to make it work, but that still leaves me worried how this could possibly upset that delicate balance.

[PULSTAR]

If the teaser poster A176 linked to is to be believed, this movie won't be out for at least another year and a half. I doubt they've even settled on a final story yet, much less written a script. Still, if this rumor is true (and that's all it is, a rumor) there might be some hope for this movie after all. What I've seen of Damon's acting is pretty good.

[RIPOrks]

I dont know anything about Startrek and Ive never seen it, but Matt Damon is a good actor.

[plasmaonslaught]

it wasnt the actors that killed the latest star trek ventures.

it was the fact that they didn't stay true to what star trek was about.

namely, positive based sci-fi with lots of moral philosophy.

all the newer star trek stuff tried to make star trek gritty and realistic. and that is why it failed.

and matt damon is not a good actor. haha.

[A176]

the writers and producers come from a strict action background...MI:3, Alias, Xena.

If the movie takes that pathway to being very character driven, with alot of action scenes, I can think of no one better than Damon.

also, with JJ Abrams...there's gotta be some real personal moments.

[Alex Drake]

I don't see why this is controversial. Its a cheesy actor starring in a cheesy movie, everyone walks away rich.

[For the love of god, why can't we see some damned new IP instead of the same ol' merry-go-round of worn out series. They should have stopped making Trek when the creator died...]

[Langy]

Wait a moment. Did RIPOrks just say he's never seen Star Trek before? How the devil do you manage that and still manage to be geeky enough to post on a computer games forum!?

[SACSlym]

The internets are crazy like that.

Same thought crossed my mind though.

[Eboli]

It's funny how many people I know who say they've "never watch Star Trek" or "hate it". Yet know who all the characters are and even some of their phrases. Strange....

[RIPOrks]

Im a closet star trek fan! haha. I guess you can think of it as strange, but in all honesty, I have never watched star trek. I guess its just not my generation? Come to think of it, I dont know anyone who actually watches it.

[WingedKagouti]

It's funny how many people I know who say they've "never watch Star Trek" or "hate it". Yet know who all the characters are and even some of their phrases. Strange....
Probably because trekkies infect everything they get near :p

It's quite easy to find lots of quotes and character information for any moderately popular series/movie/book.

[Harmanoff]

Divided on the subject i am. Matt Damon is not a bad actor but i definately wouldn't cast him as Kirk. I doubt he will make or brake the movie though, what i'm wondering is will they get a proper budget, script and directing this time? Last few Star Trek movies have been horrible.. they need to make a serious effort this time.

If it's for real that is. :murph:

[Nurizeko]

They can use Tom Cruise, who plays the same fucking personality in every movie!.

You know when he's in a movie it basically should be called "Tom Cruise action movie #956" or sommin.
Dont get me wrong I've enjoyed some of his movies, but he cant really alter his performance at all, its the same bloke in every movie.


As for Star-Trek, Praxis said it best.

"Its dead Jim"

Maybe its time for Paramount to dust out that dirty old attic and find their emaginations and originality they chucked into storage since TNG.

Wait a moment. Did RIPOrks just say he's never seen Star Trek before? How the devil do you manage that and still manage to be geeky enough to post on a computer games forum!?

Dunno about RIPork, but alot of younger gamers arent geeky or nerdy, their sad and l33tboiz.
Basically their like stoners with nasty attitudes and without the drugs (I hope).

Everyone else are just casual, or "geeky".

MOVING ON!.

We must now make sure RIP see's every last episode of TOS, TNG, DS9 & Voyager.
Phone up your friends and family Ork, your life as you know is over until you've seen every last ep.

Mwahahaa! :dyn:

[Smit1000]

Wow quickly look at this, its a leaked video of Matt Damon's audition fo the new Star Trek movie, download it quick before they ban it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEaW5_STlug&search=matt%20damon%20team%20america

[Retroboy]

If the world were suddenly to collapse into a small pea-sized unpleasantly scented snowball, well then Smit1000 would win the thread.

-- Retro

[Handarazuur]

Even for a Tasmanian, that was lame.

I worship SG-1 and BSG now. The franchise, as potentially millions have already said, needs another 15-year hiatus. Then they can talk about another series, another movie.

-Hand, of Space

[Alliance]

The problem with Matt damon is that hes got too much of a movie history behind him to move genre. Scott Baluka was good because he was a B class actor at best (even though from other movies of his I've seen, hes a good actor), so he could fit the character without too much of a "out of place" feeling.

As I've already said before, even if Matt hits the kirk character spot on, and he might even be up to it, people recognise him as too many other characters to have the impact a new actor, playing the same character with the same text and feel would portray.

[Tiresias]

you don't escape from sci-fi, if this is a bust Matt Damon might survive it but if it's a success Matt Damon's career is doomed merely by the curse of post sci-fi actors. (seriosuly who's gone on from Star Trek or B5 or msot others to be anyone? Patrick Stewart maybe and Shatner only recently...

[SpinDizzy]

I don't care too much who plays Kirk as long as there's some like, no problem with Mike Damon.

I'd be much more picky over who'd play Patrick Stewart in a star trek film as I think he owns Kirk hands down. Deffo my fav ST captain ever...

...though, maybe Matt Damon wearing one of those latex bald headpieces?

[SLIGHTLY OFF TOPIC]

Why so many people like BSG is a mystery of the Universe to me. I've tried to be open minded and tried to like it, but I find it physically impossible to watch an episode, only usually managing the first 5 min, and then having to turn over or turn the tv off.

The CGI looks worse then Babylon 5's, and it all comes across to me as frustratingly dull.

Doesn't anyone share my feelings about BSG?

[SLIGHTLY OFF TOPIC]

One of the things I love most about Star Trek is it's so easy to mock, so politically correct. Never seeing anyone going to the toilet and such. The lack of emotion and incredibly rare display of human faults means things like this would be funny using any of the cast really, letalone non-human data.

http://databsod.ytmnd.com/

This one is amusing too:

http://shamepicard.ytmnd.com/
(Should be fine, there's no nudity or anything)

I also think that demonstrates that not everything on ytmnd is a load of utter bollocks.

[Langy]

I also think that demonstrates that not everything on ytmnd is a load of utter bollocks.

That's strange. I thought that demonstrated the exact opposite about YTMND. Hmmm.....

[Riess]

I'd much rather know who produces, who directs and who writes the script. FFS, cast Bill Murray as Kirk if you want. Give me a story, some atmosphere, and some pretty spaceship pictures, and all is fine.

[Eboli]

you don't escape from sci-fi, if this is a bust Matt Damon might survive it but if it's a success Matt Damon's career is doomed merely by the curse of post sci-fi actors. (seriosuly who's gone on from Star Trek or B5 or msot others to be anyone? Patrick Stewart maybe and Shatner only recently...
There are plenty of actors who've done Sci-fi and are still successful.

[Retroboy]

To support the above post, just a quick scan of the oscar winning best actors and nominees since 2000 gives these names. (Brackets are the SF shows they starred in)
George Clooney (Solaris)
Clint Eastwood (Space Cowboys)
Jeff Bridges (Starman)
Jude Law (A.I.)
Sean Connery (Outland, Meteor)
Morgan Freeman (Rendezvous with Rama [forthcoming], Deep Impact)
William Hurt (Space Family Robinson)

-- Retro

[SquidDNA]

Harrison Ford, ffs.

[SACSlym]

Most people outside the loop see Sci-Fi and Star Trek in seperate categories.

[Eboli]

I wouldn't go there either cause there are a LOT of actors who have done Star Trek and were and still are successful.

[SquidDNA]

Bruce Willis, Owen Wilson, Steve Buscemi.

Providing counterexamples to things Nuri says is easy and fun! I just can't stop.

[Dooks Dizzo]

Bill Paxon
Michael Baen
Arnold 'the govenor' Schwartzenager

[SACSlym]

Wait wait, Owen Wilson is an actor? Now ive heard everything.

[Captain Pierce]

I just can't see Matt Damon doing a very convincing Kirk. I can just see him completely overdoing Kirkspeak.

If you're not overdoing it, then... it's not... Kirkspeak... ... ...

SPOOOOOOOOOOOCK!!!

;)

[Retroboy]

That's KHAAAAAANNNNN, you ninny!

:banana:

-- Retro

[SquidDNA]

I'm unconvinced that Bill Paxton counts.

Owen Wilson was fantastic in The Royal Tennenbaums. I don't know what Bill Paxton has done well since Independence Day.

[Captain Pierce]

Bill Paxton totally counts... he's the only actor who's been killed by the Big 3: Terminator (T1), Alien (Aliens), and Predator (P2).

And Retro, you need way more "A's" than that in "KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!" ;)

Oh, and if Sean Connery's career can survive "Outland," than Matt Damon can survive even a "Nemesis"-bad Trek movie.

[Atreides]

Insert obligitory LINK (http://www.khaaan.com/)

Matt Damon fails, let Star Trek sleep for 10 years.

Shut up Squid. :frog:

[TheDeadlyShoe]

They're making a ReallyBigObject genre movie? With Morgan Freeman? AWESOME!

[Ermac]

Why wont they just let startrek die a peacefull death?

[Retroboy]

Because if you mix up the letters in "Star Trek", you get "Restart, K?"

:banana:

-- Retro

[IgnusDei]

retro is the king of wit.

honestly, i think that the star trek universe still holds some promise, but the showmakers just keep on focusing on bloody Starfleet. What about the sceny criminal underbelly that has been hinted at throughout the series? how about a show that focuses on outlaws trying to survive rather than career officers meeting hot exotic aliens sex object or a killer cyborg warmonger species for 98023441th time?

Fuck exploration! I want a blockade run!

[Harmanoff]

I don't know what Bill Paxton has done well since Independence Day.
Forgive me sir but this is taking it one step too far! You are confusing Bill Paxton, who's given quite a few good performances since Alien 2, with Bill Pullman, the most awful actor ever to plague the silver screen. I still have nightmares about his motivational speech in Independence Day. :murph:

[A176]

Fuck exploration! I want a blockade run!

...exactly why DS9 brought in a whole slew of new audience.

[Taiidan Admiral]

http://shatneriskirk.ytmnd.com/

[SACSlym]

http://shatneriskirk.ytmnd.com/

ahh, I was at work thinking to myself all day why no one had posted that yet in this thread.

[Dooks Dizzo]

I'd like to come to Paxton's rescue by saying that 'good actor' and 'successful actor' do not have to be the same thing.

Paxton has been in about 50 movies/tv shows since doing Aliens, a number of which have been highly successful. That is a lot of pay days.

He also directed 'The Greatest Game Ever Played' and 'Frailty which were both excellent.

[Diabolical]

http://shatneriskirk.ytmnd.com/

:rofl:
Very well done :D

[MetalDragoon83]

Lets see, the only trek series I did not like was enterprise and DS9 before the dominion war. I like voyager, and liked enterprise at first but they got messed up after a few episodes.

Also< I think we can be assured that they will roast William Shatner very well on comedy centeral, I am so taping that.

[Dooks Dizzo]

If Damon is Kirk who is going to play Spock? I mean seriously.

[SACSlym]

Ben Afleck of course

Jay and Silent Bob will be klingons, and Chris Rock will be a red shirt.

[Dooks Dizzo]

Hmmm, has some serious potential...

[Reignfire]

I was debating if Kevin Smith should be a Klingon or Scotty (and use his Silent Bob force powers to fix the engines).
Jason Lee could be McCoy.

[Captain Pierce]

This week's poll at SciFiWire (http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/):

There's a new teaser poster for the upcoming 11th Star Trek movie, from Lost co-creator J.J. Abrams. What kind of new Trek should he do?

Original series: Kirk and Spock 16%

TNG: Picard et al. 14%

Starfleet Academy 12%

Capt. Sulu and the Excelsior 10%

Something new! 48%

Voting still in progress, of course, totals may change. :)

[Enterprise-E]

i so agree with that "Shatner is Kirk" video.

And for me (even after being a die-hard fan for quite a time, just look at my name) it seems, that Star Trek is DEAD....

[Psymon]

honestly, i think that the star trek universe still holds some promise, but the showmakers just keep on focusing on bloody Starfleet. What about the sceny criminal underbelly that has been hinted at throughout the series? how about a show that focuses on outlaws trying to survive rather than career officers meeting hot exotic aliens sex object or a killer cyborg warmonger species for 98023441th time?

Fuck exploration! I want a blockade run!Ten years ago, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire... The S-Team.

[DatonKallandor]

Hell, they could take a note off the DS9 O'Brian episodes. Orion Syndicate series.


Daton

[Dj]

I'd just like to add another name to the "Did SciFi, and STILL does regular, good movies" list. Adam Baldwin.

Well... Not a lot of movies.... But a TON of TV shows...