Matt Damon to play Captain Kirk?

Posted Thursday, June 22, 2006 at 9:27 AM Central

by Tim Briscoe

As we told you previously, writer-director J.J. Abrams is doing a Star Trek prequel. Now it seems he wants Matt Damon for the lead role of Captain James T. Kirk.

According to TV's theINSIDER, J.J. Is so interested that he's already gotten the approval of original Kirk William Shatner. "Shatner game his blessing," a source to theINSIDER's Marc Malkin is quoted as saying.

The prequel, tentatively called Star Trek XI, will reportedly focus on the early years of Kirk and his future First Officer, Spock, at the Starfleet Academy. Damon's pal Ben Affleck was previously rumored for role in the film.