In a surprising twist to a long-running Hollywood anecdote, acclaimed director James Cameron has directly contradicted actor Matt Damon's frequently told story about turning down the lead role in the blockbuster film Avatar.
The Contested Claim: A Role and a Fortune Declined?
For years, Matt Damon has recounted in interviews how he was forced to pass on the starring role in James Cameron's 2009 epic Avatar due to scheduling conflicts with the Jason Bourne franchise. The actor's narrative included a tantalising financial detail: that the offer would have included a 10 per cent share of the film's gross earnings, a deal potentially worth hundreds of millions of dollars given the movie's historic $2.9 billion box office haul.
This story became a popular piece of cinematic 'what if' lore, often cited as one of the most costly career decisions in Hollywood history. However, the director at the centre of the tale has now stepped forward to set the record straight.
Cameron's Version: A Story 'Extrapolated' from a Chat
In a statement given on Friday 19 December 2025, James Cameron offered a starkly different account. The Titanic and Avatar director asserted that Matt Damon was 'never offered the part' of Jake Sully, the role ultimately played by Sam Worthington.
Cameron clarified that while he and Damon did have a phone conversation where the actor expressed interest, the director's own scheduling constraints for the mammoth production meant a formal offer was never extended. Crucially, Cameron stated that detailed discussions about the character or any specific financial terms, including the now-famous 10 per cent gross share, never took place.
The director suggested that Damon had 'extrapolated' the claim about the lucrative payout, implying it was a hypothetical condition the actor himself imagined, rather than a concrete proposal from the film's production team.
Implications for Hollywood Lore and Star Narratives
This public dispute highlights how anecdotes and 'near-miss' stories become entrenched in celebrity mythology, often repeated until they are accepted as fact. Cameron's rebuttal pulls back the curtain on one of the industry's most famous tales of missed opportunity.
The core facts from both sides that remain undisputed are:
- A discussion about the Avatar role took place.
- Scheduling conflicts with the Bourne films were a key factor.
- No formal agreement or offer was ever made.
Ultimately, the record-breaking success of Avatar without Damon casts the entire episode in a unique light. While the actor's 'what if' story made for compelling talk-show fodder, Cameron's latest comments firmly place it in the realm of speculation rather than lost contract history. The director's definitive statement appears to be the final word on a debate that has captivated film fans for over a decade.
