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Stephen of Borg

"If the script was good, I'd do it." - Matt Damon

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Sci Fi Wire posted a brief interview with actor Matt Damon, in which he talks about the possibility of taking over William Shatner's role as James T. Kirk in the upcoming J.J. Abrams' Star Trek XI prequel.

 

"If the script was good, I'd do it," Damon said in an interview while promoting his latest film, The Good Shepherd. "But, yeah, I heard that [rumor]. I think J.J. Abrams or somebody said that at press junket or something, and it got picked up [by the media and Star Trek fans]."

 

 

I personally have no problems with him playing Kirk

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it sounds like and interesting possibility, there never have really been many big shot startrek actors recently, other that jeri ryan

 

Jeri Ryan didn't really become big until Voyager. Patrick Stewart, on the other hand, was already somewhat known after supporting roles in Excalibur and Dune and a couple other films.

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Levar Burton was widely known from "Roots". Wil Wheaton??? I don't think he was known at all.. :blink:

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Levar Burton was widely known from "Roots". Wil Wheaton??? I don't think he was known at all.. :blink:

Wheaton was known from Stand By Me.

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If no one plays Kirk besides Shatner, then the character will die with him. People are accepting of fan films such as New Voyages with someone else playing Kirk, but they don't like it to be done on screen for some reason. If different actors can play Bond, then different actors can play Trek characters. If that wasn't so, Bond would have ended with Connery

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We have to accept the fact that if we want Trek to continue, new actors will be playing the roles. Its either this, or we get get new movies with new ships and unfamiliar crews. As a TOS fan, I welcome the reboot. As Gamera said, NewVoyages has already done this and while watching it, I gradually forgot that there were new actors playing the roles as I got engrossed into the story. The Bond movies are a good example. We constantly accept new actors playing Bond. As long as the stories are well written and acted, there should be no problem. Personally, I'd like to see a whole new TOS series with all new actors. The original actors can guest star from time to time.

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There are just some characters that shouldn't be remade like Rick and Ilsa from Casablanca. I'm not sure whether Star Trek TOS fits that category or not. As a whole all the ideas for the new movie I've heard don't sound inspiring.

 

One thing for certain if Daman plays Kirk it has to be Kirk at the TOS time period because he's too old to play a young Kirk.

 

IMO, others could play Kirk but no one else could play Spock.

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I am also a big fan of TOS. There does seem to be a big push to update TOS. There is the remastering of the original episodes, and now the "reboot" of the film series. I am still a little apprehensive that there will be too much tinkering with the original Star Trek. It seems to me that the original actors interpretting the characters and their chemistry together were a huge part of the success and popularity of TOS. Recapturing that is a very tall order. I also find it a bit disturbing that there is the implication that change is needed because the original is too old fashioned or doesn't appeal to kids. I think good science fiction stands the test of time for those who are open minded.

 

I do want to see the series continue, but imo it needs to be done very carefully and casting will be crucial. That said a good story will also be crucial to success or failure. As TUH mentioned - recasting Spock could be problematic. Many people identify with him intensely. :blink:

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also find it a bit disturbing that there is the implication that change is needed because the original is too old fashioned or doesn't appeal to kids. I think good science fiction stands the test of time for those who are open minded.

 

 

I'm also concerned about that. I hope they don't go overboard and ruin TOS like they did Battlestar:Galactica!! :blink:

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I am also a big fan of TOS. There does seem to be a big push to update TOS. There is the remastering of the original episodes, and now the "reboot" of the film series.

Its not a reboot, Star Trek XI will be in line be what has come before. It will likely be a movie focused on the character of Kirk and how he became who he is. Rumours state will get to see his life in Iowa, some stuff at the academy, some stuff of him aboard the Republic or the Farragut, and probably eventually taking command of the Enterprise from Captain Pike.

 

Sort of in the vein of Batman Begins and Casino Royale but not a retelling that ignores all that came before it.

 

From what's been said, at least Kirk, Spock, Scotty, McCoy, Pike and Captain Garrovick could be in the script and the only quasi-confirmed cast member is Greg Grunberg (Matt Parkman from Heroes) as he is a childhood friend of Abrams and has appeared in almost every Abrams work to date (he's in Felicity, Alias, was the pilot of Oceanic 815 in Lost, and had a role in Mission Impossible III). Of course, his role will be minor.

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