It seems that TVGuide is unwilling to let the Matt Damon as Kirk rumour lay to rest. They are currently reporting that Damon is once again in talks to play a young Kirk, and we don’t believe it. But it is the other casting rumours that I find more interesting.
Matt Damon, Adrien Brody and Gary Sinise are in talks to play the Big Three in the Star Trek XI movie next year.
Fresh from Ocean’s 13 and The Departed, Damon is pegged for the role of a young Captain James T. Kirk, previously played by the Shat-tastic William Shatner.
Meanwhile, Oscar winner Brody (King Kong, The Pianist) is slated for the role of Mr. Spock, which was immortalized by Leonard Nimoy, and CSI: New York’s Sinise could revive the cranky Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy (made famous by DeForrest Kelley).
So we are tired of hearing Damon news attached to Star Trek, but the other casting rumours actually have my attention.
I think Brody would do a good job of representing a young Spock with only very little cosmetic adjustments, but Gary Sinise is dead on to play the stern Leonard McCoy. Even his personality fits with the Bones character.
But as for Damon, I will believe it when its announced after the contract is signed. His name gets thrown around to be rumoured to star in EVERYTHING, so I refuse to put any faith in that hype.
Stumbled across this old blog and you all probably know already but head to startrekmovie.com – awsome. Cant wait
Instead of trying to re-invent the past in the new film why don’t the writers/producers do some research and find out what the actual fans want.
Perhaps if the read some of the hundreds of startrek books that are out there they would get some great ideas.
A good film to make would be about the book series Star trek New Frontier, not only is the captain great (hes one for the ladies as well), but its set in the STNG time line that were all used too, not to mention Captain (best of both worlds)Shelby is his wife (great).
Another good film to make is again from the book series Star trek Titan. This is set straight after Star trek Nemesis, on the USS TITAN with Captain Riker and Commander Troi, these are all perfectly good areas to start with, so i cant see the point in going back and doing another pre-prequal.
Or even if they did the books by Diane Carey that feature Admiral Janeway and captain Chakotay with the voyager and a mixture of STNG, STVOY crew
These could be loads better, and it would pull more of a audience as the younger generation have grown up with these crews (me being 27)
c’mon – Sinise as Bones? Genius move – he would be the most excellent cranky doc… that’s excellent casting man, if only these rumors can ring true?
You have to admit Sinise in a stellar choice… I’d watch the movie just for him. Just to hear him utter “he’s dead, Jim” and the endless “I’m a doctor, no a…”
I can understand why people are freaking out about recasting but in order for there to be any new successful/good star trek material (that isn’t fan made) is for there to be a reboot. It has to happen. Here are some reasons:
1. There is too much backstory in the Trek Universe. To make a new and widely likable story set after the events of all that has taken place on the various tv shows would be so hard and it would also lose anyone but the core audience (which sadly isn’t enough to support the franchise as we saw with the last movie).
2. All the actors who played the beloved characters are too old or unwilling to go back into character. They have to create new, younger characters but at the same time they can’t stray too far from the beloved core characters (like what happened with Enterprise). Quite the conundrum. Thus restart using the old characters but played by new faces.
I feel like the best way to think about the new movie for fans of the original is to think of it as a parallel universe. It’s not what you grew up loving but it takes those elements and translates it for a new group. Much like for comic fans the “Ultimate” titles. It’s a different universe but it has the same characters going in a new and interesting path. that’s my take anyways.
PS I love him but Gary Sinse is too old, I think would prefer the rumored James McAvoy.
Oh my. I find myself greatly agreeing with Mozzerino. I love Star Trek with all of my heart. (In a really unhealthy super-dork fanboy way…) Yet, I cannot get excited for this film. Two things trouble me equally…
1.) I HATE the idea of a “reboot” (ala Battlestar) I have posted at length about this in other ST post threads…
2.) I am not a big fan of other actors playing the parts that, in my opinion only, have been icon-ized by those who I know and love. I look at these fictional characters like family… not like Batman. If one day some announcer in the sky said “And now, Jim, playing the role of your dad… Jack Nicholson!” ((While it would be cool and neat for like 10 minutes I would soon come to my senses and say WTF?!?!))
And, it seems like it will indeed be a reboot and have a recast TOS cast.
In a very odd way, I am not just “not excited” to see this film, the fact that it seems to be happening the way it is happening just makes me sad. I know its only a stupid movie, but I just think it sucks eggs.
And Lou… while you are very much on point with the Techno/Trek-babble (so true!), TNG was the smallest Post TOS show with that type of stuff. I love all Trek, but try watching Voyager. They seem to solve EVERY problem with like 35 seconds left in the show with some complete bullshit Techno-answer. TNG was guilty at times of that, but usually they worked their way towards a solution through the whole episode and overall had pretty solid writing. It seems like Voyagers writers wrote episodes that they “thought were cool” and then, while filming realized… “Oh shit, we need an ending!”.
Voyager Episode X: 46 minute episode
Minute 1: The Borg attack!
Minute 3: 5 Crew members get kidnapped!
Minute 9: Chakotay and Janeway argue over the course of action!
Minute 10: Janeway, claiming “Federation Values”, chooses the LEAST Federation-like solution!
Minute 14: Harry Kim & Neelix steal a shuttle and attempt to rescue them!
Minute 22: They fail, get the shuttle destroyed, a red shirt Lt. dies, Voyager swoops in and saves them!
Minute 23: The Borg chase them!
Minute 28: Janeway gives her episodal “I’m deeply disappointed in you” speech!
Minute 36: The Borg catch them, disable the ship!
Minute 39: 16 more Borg ships arrive.
Minute 41: Even though badly damaged, Voyager holds it own against 17 ships.
Minute 44: Shields are down. Weapons are down. Hull breaches on deck 5, 6, and 8. All Borg ships lock on tractor beams.
Minute 45: Tuvok states: “Captain, if we charge our Bussard collectors, ionize the hull, and invert our deflector and send out and inverse chronatonic tachyon pulse wave along their tractor beams… it may destroy their ships… and possibly make our genitals larger.” Janeway: “Do it!” Booooooooom! All 17 Borg ships explode.
Minute 46: Fun in the mess hall, as the ship warps away to another adventure!
And then you ask… 1.) Why don’t they ALWAYS “revert the jibber-jabber” and blow up enemy ships if it can be done in 4 seconds, and 2.) How did they get all of that shit fixed and warp off minutes later, and finally, 3.) apparently no one gives a shit about poor, dead Lt. mincemeat.
Sorry for the uber-long post… but, man I love the Trek!
Rodney your explanation would work for a TNG character. The original series never had the Trekbabble that the other series had.
Lou, always the pessimist. Don’t you realize that in Star Trek, Dead doesnt matter. Neither does time. They can do it at will by collecting chronotronic electrons in the front collector ports and realigning the deflector dish to cause a rupture in the timespace continuum?
Besides, a middle age Kirk could travel to the time of his own death and avert it by telling him that was a lame death scene and convincing old Kirk that their life wasnt fulfilling their maximum potential because of something that happened in Star Trek 11.
Its Star Trek, the above makes perfect sense.
“I still hold to my belief that this should be about Old Kirk going back in time to visit a Younger Kirk and do something that changes history so they dont have to care about canon.”
Since Old Kirk is dead it would have to Old Spock doing the time change instead.
Drew, this was in a TVGuide.com article yesterday, so perhaps someone is talking to someone again.
This wouldn’t be the first time that a casting rumour wasn’t true but it gave them an idea which they later pursued.
The exit data last Star Trek movie or two showed that the audience was increasingly made up of older males. Paramount has lost the youth market for Star Trek. As much as I like the idea of Damon, Brody and Sinise taking over the roles, those actors would at best be suited to play those characters as middle-aged.
If the studio wants to attract the prime movie going youth audience, their only choice is to go the Star Trek Early Years route. I’m not saying they need to do some sort of OC-meets-ST thing, but finding some decent actors in their 20’s shouldn’t be that difficult. Give us a funny, sexy young Kirk (remember the green alien girl?) on some rip-roaring adventure and it’s sure to do well.
It will definitely be a while before we see this. But also keep in mind that this is Kirk’s first mission on the Enterprise, its not “young Kirk” as in 18 yrs old.
The longer they wait, the better I think it will be. It will revive the franchise if its been done right. They could even continue on, though doubtful since they are already trying so hard not to mess with the Trek canon.
I still hold to my belief that this should be about Old Kirk going back in time to visit a Younger Kirk and do something that changes history so they dont have to care about canon.
THAT would revive the series. No baggage.
I’m pretty sure these rumors of Sinise and Brody were squashed weren’t they? I saw this rumor like 4 months ago and haven’t heard anything since.
But Rodney.. Indiana Jones is *still* not happening ;)
You know what I mean.. this movie will get made one day, but when? And are we still gonna be hyped up to see it? Star Trek has been away from most people’s mind for a long time now. This movie is in a long list of movie that’s always being talked about but still has quite some ways to go. I stand corrected aight.. this movie will happen. One day. Later than sooner.
I can see that you’ve thought about this a lot Mozzerino. Regarding the Bond comparison, years don’t come into it. I was simply saying that for some people, regardless of who you cast in the part of Bond, they will only accept Connery as the true 007, as you will only accept Shatner as Kirk (and i understand why).
Why the prequel thing, like Rodney said, it’s all been done, and Paramount, like any studio, is desperate to build up some franchises. They have Transformers just starting of course, but it would be great if they could have something a little cheaper too. And when you are re-starting Star Trek and have that much money invested, you’re not going to take too many risks. They gave the Next Gen cast four tries at the wheel, DS9 is long gone from the public consciousness, so the safest possible option is to make a movie about the Star Trek everyone knows about, and just might see. It has to be this way if they’re going to make any profit.
As interesting as it would be to see Sinise play Dr. McCoy, why don’t I have more excitement for this movie? And I love Star Trek!
Let me first say that I still think it wont be Damon, but they guy is a fine actor, so it wouldnt be a bad thing.
As far as Damon being 37, keep in mind that he has a babyface and could EASILY play 25. Hell, Ralph Macchio was 27 when he played the 15 year old in Karate Kid, and most actors on tv who play high school students are typically in their 20s.
Age doesn’t matter if the character can pull off the age.
That being said, I still dont think it will be Matt Damon, just not for the reasons you said.
Young Kirk? Young Kirk??? When Star Trek went on the air in 1966, Shatner was 35. Matt Damon is now 37, he’s already OLDER than the original, and they haven’t even started filming. If you want a young Kirk, they need to think of someone like Ryan Gosling.
Shat himself said that this role was “uncastable” simply from the perspective that you wouldnt be casting someone to play Kirk, but rather you would have to cast someone to play SHATNER playing Kirk.
The “ever word like it is its own sentence” is GREATLY exaggerated to poke fun at Shatner. Watch the movie or the series. Its not that bad, he just has his own style of delivery.
And Mozz.. they are going prequel, because its all been done. Now they are just resorting to filling in the gaps. Enterprise failed because it was a prequel story without any ties to the cast. They are hoping that going prequel with familiar characters they will draw in a new audience as well as the old ones (if they are still out there)
@Phil
My point is:
Connery (if you wanna keep that comparison) played Bond in 4 films in a series of now 21 films.
Shatner/Nimoy/Kelley played their characters in 6 films in a series of 6 films (original crew) three seasons of a TV series, cameos in the other Trek series and countless other appearances (videogames etc..)
Connery played Bond from 1962-1967 (I’m not counting Never say never again).
Shatner played Kirk from 1966-1997. That’s over 30 years where we saw him rise to glory, struggle with his inner demons, age and finally, die. You name me any other fictional character that was portrayed by one actor over that timespan.
A little clue here: There is none.
It won’t work and how the hell would Matt Damon (or anyone else) be able to play Kirk without doing a Shatner-like delivery with…..a …..pause…..between….every….word…..like…..Bill…..just….does.
Because that’s how Shatner acts and thats how Kirk talks. I can’t watch a another guy do that, it would be ridiculous. And if you change it, it just wouldn’t be Kirk anymore.
While I generally agree that every character can be portrayed by different actors this is the exception to the rule. The two are inevitably combined and can’t be separated.
The real problem is just:
Why this whole prequel scenario? It just isn’t in any way needed/requested by anyone. I wanna see new guys in a part of the great Star Trek universe, that I’m not entirely familiar with.
With characters, whose destiny I don’t already know.
Lets list the number of movies that are “never going to happen”
People said Remmington Steele will never play Bond (the characters were too similar)
People said Lucas would never make the prequels (despite your opinion of their quality – it was said it wouldnt happen)
Spielberg said the Last Crusade was named in part because they would never do another Indiana Jones movie.
People said they would never make a movie that justifies Lord of the Rings, and after it happened they said they would never be able to do the Hobbit.
Oops.
Never is a strong term. This movie will be made.
This is another movie that’s NEVER gonna happen.
Excellent post Phil.
As someone who grew up with the original series I am more than eager to see new adventures of the original crew done with the latest advances in technical effects. Much like Bond, Superman, Batman, Sherlock Holmes the characters are greater than the actors.
Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are more popular than ever before. Go for it!
Plus I am dying to see the original Enterprise on the silver screen in all its glory!
Mozzerino, in a way Bond does come into this. There are a certain group of people who have only been able to accept Connery in the part, ever since he stop making them.
Shatner, Nimoy, and Kelly were absolute magic every time they were on screen (even in Star Trek V: the final frontier) and create an extremely hard act to follow but to just dismiss whoever is going to play those characters in this film, before we even know who they are, let alone see them in action, is a little silly, if you don’t mind me saying. If the actors have any kind of talent, they won’t be doing impersonations of the actors that came before them. Like Brandon Routh did with Superman, they will do what’s on the page while honouring the character created by the previous actor.
If you love Star Trek then surely you want this next film to be great, just like i do. There’s no way you can do that unless you accept that those parts have to be re-cast and we must be open minded about whether it’s going to work, and wait to see.
I certainly would love to see Sinise as Bones; that’s friggin inspired casting.
Aren’t they supposed to be the younger version?
Matt Damon is 37, Brody 34, Sinise is fucking 52 for Christ’s sake.
There’s probably no truth whatsoever to this.
Anyway, I still hate the whole concept of this movie.
William Shatner IS James T. Kirk
Leonard Nimoy IS Spock
Deforest Kelley IS Bones
No one (no matter how great the physical resemblance) can replace them. This is not Batman and not James Bond, they played that characters over 30 years, I simply won’t accept anyone else in this roles.
Just think of new stories goddammit!
Why Kirk and Spock, is there anything that hasn’t already been done with these characters. We saw enough of them!
Why go back to the old 23. Century?
Hasn’t the horrible failure, that was “Enterprise”, taught them anything?
Fans want new stories and new ideas, not some fucking rehash of stuff we have seen before.
Man, I’m really getting worked up about this.