Did Matt Damon really turn down Avatar?

James Cameron has stated that Matt Damon was never officially offered a lead role in "Avatar" and therefore did not turn it down.

How much money did Matt Damon claim he missed from Avatar?

Matt Damon claimed he was offered 10 percent of "Avatar's" profits, which he estimated to be around $290 million.

Why did Matt Damon not star in Avatar?

According to James Cameron, Matt Damon was not offered the role due to availability issues, not a direct refusal of an offer.

Home / Arts and Entertainment / Cameron Debunks Damon's $290M Avatar Claim

Cameron Debunks Damon's $290M Avatar Claim

19 Dec, 2025

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Summary

James Cameron denies Matt Damon was ever offered an Avatar role.
Damon claimed he declined a 10% profit share, missing $290 million.
Cameron cites scheduling conflicts, not a rejected offer, for Damon's absence.

Director James Cameron has publicly disputed Matt Damon's claims that he was offered a lead role in "Avatar" and subsequently missed out on a substantial payday. Cameron stated that Damon was never formally offered the part of Jake Sully, which ultimately went to Sam Worthington.

While Damon has stated he declined the role due to a potential 10% profit share offer and scheduling conflicts with a "Bourne" film, Cameron insists that no such offer was ever made. He clarified during a recent interview that discussions never progressed to that level, emphasizing it was an issue of availability.

Cameron humorously told Damon he needn't regret the decision, assuring him that he missed nothing significant and that the purported deal would not have materialized. Despite this clarification, Cameron expressed a desire to collaborate with Damon in the future.