Disappointed it's not Damon?

[evilalienbraga]

So are we disappointed its not Matt Damon for the Kirk?
Whatever you think of Pine (whoever he is) a big name like Damon would've really given the film a profile boost.
And wasn't Pine in Smokin' Aces? Oh dear.

 

[Borgminister]

Damon's too old to play the part... Just like Jim Carrey was too old to play Spiderman years ago.

The actors have to be younger than Shatner et. al. were when TOS began, or at least look and "act" younger.

 

[evilalienbraga]

I just hope that whoever plays Pike turns out to be a 'big name'. We have Eric Bana and Nimoy, but in order to attract the non-Trekkies we need some star power here. Of course, the cheaper wage bill means more money for SFX...

 

[Christopher]

^^Karl Urban is a fairly big name these days, and Simon Pegg is quite a big name in the UK. And aside from Pike, there is apparently a significant "Federation Captain" character yet to be cast, probably a character original to the film; that could be a big-name actor as well (I'm hoping for a female and/or non-Caucasian actor).

As for Damon, Borgminister is quite correct -- he was never actually in the running because he's too old. Also, I just can't see what there is about him that makes people think he would be a good choice for Kirk. He doesn't remind me of Shatner at all. Looking at videos of Chris Pine, I think he does have a young-Shatner quality, and is a reasonably charismatic and expressive actor. I'm not sure yet if he can bring the Shakespearean intensity that Shatner did, but other than that, I think he's a good choice.

 

[evilalienbraga]

Christopher said:
^^Karl Urban is a fairly big name these days, and Simon Pegg is quite a big name in the UK.

I'll take your word for Karl Urban being a big name, personally I've never heard of 'im. And yes, Pegg is a fairly big name over here - but it's the US market that counts (in the cinemas anyway, DVD is getting to be a different story).

Why would Damon have made a good Kirk? Well I'll leave that for someone else to answer. He's a big star though, isn't he, riding high on his 'Bourne' films.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Actually yeah, I'm mildly disappointed that this didn't turn out to be the A-list extravaganza that early rumors suggested.

Nonetheless, what we do know so far all sounds pretty cool. I'm looking forward to the movie.

 

[Professor Moriarty]

While we're on the subject of a perceived lack of star power for Star Trek...

John Cho (Sulu) had a small bit part on Ugly Betty last night. Kinda weird to watch him onscreen for all of two minutes and then realize he's going to be flying the starship Enterprise a year or so from now.

 

[JacksonArcher]

Christopher said:
^^Karl Urban is a fairly big name these days, and Simon Pegg is quite a big name in the UK. And aside from Pike, there is apparently a significant "Federation Captain" character yet to be cast, probably a character original to the film; that could be a big-name actor as well (I'm hoping for a female and/or non-Caucasian actor).

It has been confirmed that the role of the "Federation Captain" is actually that of Christopher Pike. Variety also confirmed that Abrams has also yet to cast the roles of Kirk's parents, all of which I presume Abrams will cast with big names, or names on the scale of Eric Bana, who is also quite a big name as well.

As for Damon, Borgminister is quite correct -- he was never actually in the running because he's too old. Also, I just can't see what there is about him that makes people think he would be a good choice for Kirk. He doesn't remind me of Shatner at all. Looking at videos of Chris Pine, I think he does have a young-Shatner quality, and is a reasonably charismatic and expressive actor. I'm not sure yet if he can bring the Shakespearean intensity that Shatner did, but other than that, I think he's a good choice.

Simon Pegg is 37, the same age as Damon. John Cho is 35. Karl Urban is also 35. Wasn't Shatner 35 when he was first cast as Kirk? That would make Damon only two-years older than him. So I don't see a problem.

I do think Damon would have been perfect, but I'm willing to give this Chris Pine guy a shot.

 

[nostradamus]

Damon is not too old to play a Kirk well in his 30´s. But if it´s a 20 year old Kid they are aiming for, I guess Pine is the right choice.

Personally I never cared for the idea of an academy movie or a movie about ensign Kirk.

But a new and younger audience will be fine with it. I had my Trek, now let them have theirs.

 

[Starkers]

God I would have hated it if Damon had got it. I really don't understand what the big hoo ha is about him, most everything I've seen him in he's been, well for want of a better term charisma-less. Now maybe that's just the nature of the parts he playes, but one thing James T Kirk should never be us understated.

 

[Christopher]

Starship Polaris said:
Actually yeah, I'm mildly disappointed that this didn't turn out to be the A-list extravaganza that early rumors suggested.

I'd rather see the right actors cast than the most famous actors.

JacksonArcher said:
It has been confirmed that the role of the "Federation Captain" is actually that of Christopher Pike.

Confirmed by whom? There are more disreputable sources out there than reputable ones. TrekMovie.com, which is one of the more reliable, cautious sources out there, is still listing "Federation Captain" and Pike as two different roles on its cast page.

Simon Pegg is 37, the same age as Damon. John Cho is 35. Karl Urban is also 35. Wasn't Shatner 35 when he was first cast as Kirk? That would make Damon only two-years older than him. So I don't see a problem.

Pegg and Urban are playing characters who would've been fortyish or more in the timeframe of this movie. They're both about a decade younger than Doohan and Kelley were at the start of TOS. Cho is significantly older than his character, true, but he "plays young." I don't think that's true of Damon.

And it's still a secondary point. I just don't see why Damon was such a popular fantasy-casting candidate for Kirk. He doesn't remind me of Shatner or Kirk in any way. Sure, he's a "big name," but again, I think that's the wrong standard for casting a film -- especially for recasting such well-established roles.

 

[Kegek]

Disappointed it's not Michael C. Hall, actually, not that that was ever a serious rumour but I did think it was cool (but I also thought it might affect Dexter, which wasn't cool.)

Damon would have been a good Kirk, though. Maybe Pine will be a good Kirk, too. I don't know, but I will when I've seen the movie.

 

[JacksonArcher]

Christopher said:
Confirmed by whom? There are more disreputable sources out there than reputable ones. TrekMovie.com, which is one of the more reliable, cautious sources out there, is still listing "Federation Captain" and Pike as two different roles on its cast page.

By Variety, which I consider one of the most, if not the most reliable source out there.

Pegg and Urban are playing characters who would've been fortyish or more in the timeframe of this movie. They're both about a decade younger than Doohan and Kelley were at the start of TOS. Cho is significantly older than his character, true, but he "plays young." I don't think that's true of Damon.

Damon plays his age. However, he still looks young, as young as Shatner did when he first played Kirk at 35.

And it's still a secondary point.

It doesn't matter, period, because Damon was not cast, but this thread was created to discuss it, so alas, we are discussing it.

I just don't see why Damon was such a popular fantasy-casting candidate for Kirk.

It wasn't fantasy. Damon even talked to Abrams about it. He just wasn't what Abrams was looking for.

He doesn't remind me of Shatner or Kirk in any way.

He has charisma, gravitas, and talent. More I can say for Chris Pine, anyway. However, I'm not going to write Pine off just yet. Just in comparison, I think Damon is a far superior choice.

Sure, he's a "big name," but again, I think that's the wrong standard for casting a film -- especially for recasting such well-established roles.

I never listed him being a big name as the sole reason why I wanted him for Kirk. Others might, but I value and rank Damon's talent as the real, big reason why I wanted him for Kirk.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

I didn't mind Damon so much but I prefer a cast of relative unknowns. Of the cast they've ended up with, the only names I would have recognized without what-have-they-been-in help are Zachary Quinto and maybe John Cho.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Christopher said:

Starship Polaris said:
Actually yeah, I'm mildly disappointed that this didn't turn out to be the A-list extravaganza that early rumors suggested.

I'd rather see the right actors cast than the most famous actors.

That's a false contradiction and therefore fallacious logic.

Personally, I just want to see a really fun, exciting movie movie - not another paeon to television's emergence as the fulcrum of popular culture. The "future of 'Star Trek'," at this late date, is a trivial concern at best.

 

[Dale]

Temis the Vorta said:
I didn't mind Damon so much but I prefer a cast of relative unknowns. Of the cast they've ended up with, the only names I would have recognized without what-have-they-been-in help are Zachary Quinto and maybe John Cho.

I also prefer a cast of relatively new faces. It takes the focus away from any particular "star" and makes this an ensemble effort. None of TOS actors were particularly famous when the series began... the best anyone could manage was "he's that guy from..." which is also the case now. I don't want Trek to be a star vehicle, but rather an ensemble among the stars. If you must have a big name (outside of Nimoy and possibly Shatner), let it be a cameo in the role of Pike or Kirk's parents.

Some people seem to think that (yes I'm gonna pull out the dreaded phrase) stunt casting is the only way to ensure an audience for this film, and thus Trek's future viability. I say the most important thing is to tell a compelling story.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Nimoy's the stunt casting in this movie. That should be enough.

 

[Christopher]

Starship Polaris said:

Christopher said:
I'd rather see the right actors cast than the most famous actors.

That's a false contradiction and therefore fallacious logic.

Only if you take my statement more literally than it was intended, and falsely read an implication of mutual exclusion into it. I was using shorthand to say that I'd rather see actors chosen based primarily on being right for the role, whether they're famous or not, rather than being chosen based on being famous whether they're right for the role or not.

 

[DarkHorse]

Temis the Vorta said:
Nimoy's the stunt casting in this movie. That should be enough.

Cameo and stunt casting with Nimoy and say Majel Barret would be fine, plus sprinkle in a few walkthroughs by TNG, DS9, and VOY cast wouldn't hurt to bring a familiar face for all.

Also, if they are looking to follow-up with the film, you need the younger/right age actors not to get too old to fast with a three film possibility.

I am surprised that Damon would want to do another character that he might have to follow in a series like "Bourne." He looks older in Bourne than he does in the Ocean series, but that is because he is cast against older actors.

It would be fun for Pine to a role on Boston Legal against Shatner's character around the time of the movie release.

 

[davejames]

While I'm a big fan of Damon's, I never took the rumors seriously from the beginning. It was just a goofy idea.

As far as having enough star power to draw people in, I don't think it's necessary in this case. People will be CURIOUS enough as it is, once they see all the new actors in these roles, and realize just what it is this movie is trying to do.

They'll want to see if Abrams and the new actors will be able to pull it off.