Cameron Corrects Damon on Rumors About Avatar Role Offer

In a surprising clarification, director James Cameron has refuted Matt Damon’s long-standing claim that he turned down a lucrative role in the original “Avatar” film that would have earned him a 10% stake in the blockbuster’s profits.

For years, Damon has publicly discussed what he described as one of Hollywood’s most costly career decisions. At the 2021 Cannes Film Festival, the actor told reporters, “I was offered a little movie called ‘Avatar,’ James Cameron offered me 10% of it. I will go down in history… you will never meet an actor who turned down more money.”

Damon elaborated on the story in 2023, explaining that he had a contract but declined because accepting would have required abandoning his commitment to the “Bourne” franchise, leaving that production team “in the lurch.” Despite this professional consideration, Damon expressed regret, saying he “desperately wanted to work with Cameron” given the director’s selective project choices.

However, in an interview published yesterday in The Hollywood Reporter, Cameron presented a markedly different account of what transpired. “He was never offered the part,” Cameron stated definitively. “I can’t remember if I sent him the script or not. I don’t think I did?”

The “Titanic” and “Terminator” director acknowledged that a conversation with Damon did occur, largely matching the actor’s recollection of the scheduling conflict. According to Cameron, Damon explained, “I love to explore doing a movie with you. I have a lot of respect for you as a filmmaker. [Avatar] sounds intriguing. But I really have to do this Jason Bourne movie. I’ve agreed to it, it’s a direct conflict, and so, regretfully, I have to turn it down.”

Despite this cordial exchange, Cameron insists the discussions never progressed to formal negotiations. “But he was never offered,” Cameron emphasized. “There was never a deal. We never talked about the character. We never got to that level. It was simply an availability issue.”

Cameron directly challenged Damon’s claim about the potentially lucrative profit-sharing arrangement. “Now what he’s done is he’s extrapolated ‘I get 10 percent of the gross on all my films.’ 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,” the director explained.

The significance of this misunderstanding is substantial considering “Avatar” went on to become the highest-grossing film of all time upon its 2009 release, ultimately earning over $2.9 billion worldwide. A 10% stake would have represented hundreds of millions of dollars.

Despite the conflicting accounts, Cameron expressed admiration for Damon’s professional integrity in honoring his prior commitment. “So he’s off the hook and doesn’t have to beat himself up anymore,” Cameron said. “Matt, it’s okay, buddy! You didn’t miss anything.”

The director concluded on a positive note, suggesting a potential future collaboration: “I’d love to work with him someday. But that never happened. It was a conflation of different things that were happening.” Industry insiders speculate that Damon might still have an opportunity to work with Cameron, possibly in upcoming projects, including rumored new installments in the “Terminator” franchise.

This clarification comes as Cameron continues to expand the “Avatar” universe, with the franchise’s second installment having been released in 2022 and several more sequels in various stages of development.