Is everyone getting super psyched for the new Star Trek movie??? I know I am!!! (But, then again, I’m a huge nerd.)

I was interested to learn today that the lead role of a young Captain Kirk was originally offered to Matt Damon — but he passed on it. The role was given to newcomer Chris Pine. However, it seems like director J.J. Abrams has made his peace with that.

He tells Life magazine, “I actually approached Matt and we had some discussions, but everything happens for a reason. On the one hand, it would have been great to work with Matt – but at the end of the day, it was such a better move to cast the movie with unknowns … It is fun to discover the stars of tomorrow, but even more so, just like with the first Star Wars, you didn’t know who those people were when you saw the movie. You believed that guy was Luke Skywalker. You didn’t recognize him from six other movies. You bought into who this guy was. It is a slippery slope when you cast any actor that is somewhat known. We weren’t beholden to any fame meter.”

I agree! I think it’s great that the cast is composed of relative unknowns. It’s Star Trek, after all — it doesn’t need a big name to be a box office draw. Plus I think Chris Pine is absolutely edible!

Lots and lots of very yummy man-candy showed up for the big premiere of the new Star Trek film — in Australia!

The 11th big-screen film in the sci-fi series had its world premiere Tuesday at the Sydney Opera House in Australia in advance of its debut in theaters May 8.

Among the stars on hand: Chris Pine, who takes on William Shatner’s old role as James Kirk; Zachary Quinto, who inherits Leonard Nimoy’s Mr. Spock; Karl Urban, filling the shoes of DeForest Kelley’s Dr. McCoy; and Eric Bana, who plays a villainous Romulan.

Out of admiration for the original Kirk, Pine noted that when he was cast, he wrote Shatner a “letter of introduction and said who I was and what I was doing.”

Heh. I love that Chris Pine did that. I also love that he doesn’t mention William Shatner writing back. I’m sure he was too busy buried in a pool of liquor and cigarettes and reciting the words to “Rocket Man.” Seriously, have you seen that YouTube clip? You MUST see it. It’s here. Go watch the crazy.

So I don’t know much about this Chris Pine kid, but I definitely think he’s a total hottie, and I’m looking forward to seeing him as Kirk, and later, hopefully, in my bedroom. But that’s just me.