Acclaimed filmmaker James Cameron has publicly disputed long-standing claims by actor Matt Damon that he turned down the lead role in the 2009 blockbuster Avatar, a decision Damon suggested cost him a staggering $290 million.
The Director's Rebuttal
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the 71-year-old director set the record straight as he promotes the franchise's third instalment. Cameron firmly stated that Damon was never officially offered the part of Jake Sully, which ultimately went to Sam Worthington.
"He was never offered the part," Cameron told the publication. "I can't remember if I sent him the script or not. I don't think I did?" The Oscar-winning director recalled a phone conversation where Damon expressed interest but was committed to a Jason Bourne film, creating a scheduling conflict.
"But he was never offered. There was never a deal. We never talked about the character," Cameron emphasised. "It was simply an availability issue."
Disputing the '10 Percent' Deal
Cameron directly addressed Damon's viral anecdote, where the actor claimed the director proposed giving him 10 percent of the film's profits. Avatar went on to earn $2.9 billion globally, making it the highest-grossing film of all time at its release.
"Now what he's done is he's extrapolated 'I get 10 percent of the gross on all my films,'" Cameron said. He added pointedly, "And if, in his mind, that's what it would've taken for him to do Avatar, then it wouldn't have happened. Trust me on that."
In a lighter tone, Cameron quipped that Damon is "off the hook and doesn't have to beat himself up anymore," adding, "Matt, it's okay, buddy! You didn't miss anything."
A Regretful Narrative and Future Collaboration
Despite the rebuttal, Cameron expressed respect for Damon and a desire to work together in the future. He noted he appreciated that Damon had personally contacted him about the scheduling conflict years ago.
"So all respect to Matt. I'd love to work with him someday," Cameron said, before reiterating, "But that never happened. It was a conflation of different things that were happening."
Damon has discussed the Avatar story multiple times since 2019, calling it one of his "bigger regrets." He told British GQ that Cameron's offer included the 10% profit share proposal, saying, "I realized in having to say no that I was probably passing on the chance to ever work with him."
In 2023, while speaking to Entertainment Tonight alongside Avatar star Zoe Saldana, Damon joked about the missed opportunity, noting, "I've probably done, like, 50 movies. I've never been in a movie that made $1 billion."
The saga emerges as Cameron prepares for the release of Avatar: Fire and Ash on 19 December. The film, with a reported budget exceeding $400 million, sees the return of Worthington, Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, and Stephen Lang.
