Asa Butterfield
The idea of another Wesley Crusher type character is probably not something most Star Trek fans would be quick to warm to; however if the new show were to go in the direction of a Doogie Howser in space, the obvious choice for captain would be Asa Butterfield. Butterfield managed to portray a boy genius as Ender Wiggin in Ender’s Game without being insufferable or making you hate him. That’s something that’s not easy to do (cough Wesley Crusher cough).
Star Trek has never been afraid to experiment with new and diverse ideas for crew members. A young, high-IQ captain would give the new series a fresh feel and a different perspective. Interactions between this captain and his crew would create drama within the ship as the crew members came to terms with their young and inexperienced captain. Perhaps revisiting the idea of genetic modification within the boy genius a la Julian Bashir could also be an intriguing storyline.
Next: Charlie Hunnam