James Cameron says Matt Damon was never offered Avatar role
Most fans are aware that Matt Damon turned down the role of Jake Sully in James Cameron’s Avatar, with the actor stating that he lost out on a potentially massive amount of money. However, Cameron told THR that it isn’t quite how it happened.
James Cameron says Matt Damon was Never Offered the Avatar Role
“He was never offered the part,” Cameron said. “I can’t remember if I sent him the script or not. I don’t think I did? Then we wound up on a call and he said, ‘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.’ But he was never offered. There was never a deal. We never talked about the character. We never got to that level. It was simply an availability issue.“
Damon has also claimed Cameron was ready to give him 10% of the gross, which would have amounted to a staggering $290 million on the first movie. He later called it “the dumbest thing an actor ever did in the history of acting,” but Cameron explained he shouldn’t feel too bad because that deal was never going to happen anyway.
“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,” Cameron said. “So he’s off the hook and doesn’t have to beat himself up anymore. Matt, it’s okay, buddy! You didn’t miss anything.“
It definitely sucks to realize you’ve missed out on a big chunk of change. It can eat you up a bit if you’re not careful. But Damon can rest a little easier knowing that 10% take was never in the cards.
Cameron Would Still Like to Work With Damon
Despite not connecting for Avatar, Cameron said he would still like to work with Damon one day, especially since he thought it was classy of the actor to reach out and turn down the role personally. “He felt compelled to call me personally and tell me; he said he didn’t want it to come from the agent — that’s an honorable guy,” Cameron said. “So all respect to Matt. I’d love to work with him someday. But that never happened. It was a conflation of different things that were happening.“
Check Out Our Review of Avatar: Fire and Ash
Avatar: Fire and Ash will officially start playing in theaters tomorrow, so be sure to check out a review from our own Chris Bumbray right here.
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