Pics of a bald and bloodied Matt Damon have been circulating in the blogosphere for a some time but this is the first official pic from his upcoming movie Elysium. Damon may have lost his hair but he’s sporting some serious arm candy in this pic.

Directed by Neill Blomkamp, who impressed moviegoers and critics with 2010’s District 9, details about Elysium have been scant.

Until now.

From the official synopsis we’ve learned that Elysium is a man-made space station where, in the year 2159, the world’s elite have sought refuge from a ravaged, overpopulated Earth.

Matt Damon is the guy who fights for the rights of those left to rot on Earth and Jodie Foster is a government official hell bent on not letting the riff-raff onto Elysium.

District 9 made over US$115 million in the US alone and Blomkamp, (who incidentally started his career as a 3D animator on Stargate SG-1) scored an Oscar nom for Best Original Screenplay.

Not bad for a first feature. Of course that means expectations are high and the pressure is on, for his second effort.

We will lay good money on the Blomkamp coming up with the goods: he scores extra brownie points for retaining the services of Sharlto Copley, who was brilliant as the doomed Wikus in District 9. Let’s hope he doesn’t’ meet such a crunchy fate in Elysium.

The film co-stars the always entertaining William Fichtner, Diego Luna, Alice Braga and Michael Shanks. Yes. Daniel Jackson is heading for big screen sci fi in a big way! W00t Stargate fans!

Stay tuned for more details about Elysium after Blomkamp appears at Comic-Con on July 13.

Elysium is out in cinemas in March 2013.