Matt Damon Turned Down the George Kirk Role

[LutherSloan]

According to a recent interview with J.J. Abrams, he approached Matt Damon first with the offer to give him the George Kirk role, but he declined. Originally it was believed that Damon was up for James T. Kirk, but according to Abrams that was never the case.

http://movies.ign.com/articles/104/1049407p1.html

 

[Shatmandu]

Good. Stunt casting is stupid.

It wouldn't have been "There's George Kirk sacrificing himself for his family," it would have been "Hey, there's Matt Damon in a cameo role. Greg Grundberg was too fat and ugly to play it."

Joe, exact

 

[Brutal Strudel]

Gotta disagree, here. Matt Damon would have been good as George Kirk. Hell, the movie was practically Good Jim Kirking anyway...

Rey, disagreeable

 

[Kirkman1987]

Good. Stunt casting is stupid.

It wouldn't have been "There's George Kirk sacrificing himself for his family," it would have been "Hey, there's Matt Damon in a cameo role. Greg Grundberg was too fat and ugly to play it."

Joe, exact

This, although Stunt Casting can be cool sometimes. Remember Sean Connery in Prince of Thieves?

 

[GhostFaceSaint]

Although it would have been really cool to see Damon as Kirk's father the actor who got the role did a great job getting us to care about his character in just twelve minutes which is very impressive!

 

[USS Kongo]

Yes, I agree. I liked the guy who played the part of George Kirk. He was very good. Damon would have drawn too much attention to himself.

Sean

 

[Jeri]

For comparison:

 

[Kelso]

Chris Hemsworth was great. I'm fine with the way it went down.

 

[Data Holmes]

I wouldn't mind seeing him show up as Kirk's older brother George in the next film.

 

[GhostFaceSaint]

That would be very cool!

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

FWIW, Damon is not averse to short cameo appearances. He was in an episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent, but only his voice is heard (we never see him). Linky

If he's willing to do a voice-only cameo where he has maybe one line, there must have been some other reason why he turned down ST XI. Abrams did say that Damon was very professional and nice about it though.

 

[Voyagerian]

To me it would have been very cool to have Matt, such a well-known actor, in there, but, as said previous here, Chris did just fine as George, and helped make the brief time we see him memorable, and for me, wishing to know and see more-which onscreen will of course likely never be-of this young hero who inspired Chris Pike, and gave the galaxy another remarkable officer-in both universes.

 

[Sector 7]

Chris Hemsworth was great. I'm fine with the way it went down.

I really do not believe anyone could have done better. Even many of the movie's detractors have agreed they liked the Kelvin scenes. In twelve minutes Chris Hemsworth made us believe Star Trek is back and drew us into the story.

I wouldn't mind seeing him show up as Kirk's older brother George in the next film.

This is a good idea. I hope Matt and JJ are listening.

 

[Voyagerian]

Chris Hemsworth was great. I'm fine with the way it went down.

I really do not believe anyone could have done better. Even many of the movie's detractors have agreed they liked the Kelvin scenes. In twelve minutes Chris Hemsworth made us believe Star Trek is back and drew us into the story.

I wouldn't mind seeing him show up as Kirk's older brother George in the next film.

This is a good idea. I hope Matt and JJ are listening.

That would be pretty wild.

 

[Gepard]

Even many of the movie's detractors have agreed they liked the Kelvin scenes. In twelve minutes Chris Hemsworth made us believe Star Trek is back and drew us into the story.

Hell, I'd go so far as to say that the Kelvin scenes helped ruin the movie for me, because I expected the rest of the film to be that good. Why wasn't the rest of the film that good, anyway? Huh? Why?

See? It's ruining it again.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I think it would be a great idea to have Damon play an older George Jr./'Sam' in a subsequent film.

 

[Sabataage]

According to a recent interview with J.J. Abrams, he approached Matt Damon first with the offer to give him the George Kirk role, but he declined. Originally it was believed that Damon was up for James T. Kirk, but according to Abrams that was never the case.

http://movies.ign.com/articles/104/1049407p1.html

Chris Hemsworth was perfect in that role, what helps sell that whole sequnce is the fact these he's an unrecognizable face (to Americans at least). For all intents and purposes he *was* George Kirk. If it was Matt Damon it would be Matt-Damon-as-George-Kirk.

In terms of fantasy casting though, if Sam Kirk appeared in a sequel he'd be perfect for it.

 

[number6]

Maaahht Daayymuuuuhn.

 

[Joby]

If Matt Damon were there, we might be wondering when Matthew McConaghey would show up and take his shirt off. I'm glad Damon didn't take the role. He doesn't belong in Star Trek.

 

[Praxius]

All I could think of was Team America: "MATT DAAA'MON!!!"

Thank cripes he wasn't in it, I think that'd knock the movie down a notch or two for me.