Matt Damon claims to have heard nothing about the rumours that J.J. Abrams wants him to play Captain James T. Kirk in the upcoming eleventh Star Trek movie, and his publicist insists that Abrams was probably joking when he mentioned Damon's name as a possibility.

The IESB spoke to both Damon and his publicist at a press conference for The Departed in New York City, asking about a story that has been circulating for much of this year and which has come to the attention of the original Captain Kirk, William Shatner, who approves of the idea of Damon playing the character (story).

"Is there any truth to the rumor that J.J. Abrams has approached you to play James T. Kirk in the upcoming Star Trek movie?" the IESB asked Damon at the press conference, where Damon quickly said that he "hadn't heard anything about it."

Damon's publicist added that the story seemed to have come from a press junket Abrams had done for M:I-III, where he was asked about possible casting. "From my understanding it was one of those hypothetical questions actors always get about who they'd like to work with and JJ threw Matt's name out there," the publicist said. "But we've never heard anything on our end. I even called Endeavor, Matt's agency, to see if they had heard anything - they hadn't."

The full article with speculation about the plot of Star Trek XI may be found here.

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