Cameron Clarifies Damon Never Offered Avatar Lead Role

James Cameron has clarified that actor Matt Damon was never formally offered the lead role of Jake Sully in the 2009 blockbuster Avatar, countering Damon's long-standing account of turning down a lucrative deal due to scheduling conflicts.

In interviews over the years, Damon has described receiving a personal call from Cameron about starring in the film, which ultimately grossed nearly $2.9 billion worldwide. Damon said Cameron proposed giving him 10 percent of the gross, a backend arrangement that could have netted hundreds of millions. He recounted prioritizing his commitment to the Jason Bourne franchise, explaining that he was midway through shooting and did not want to abandon the production early. "I desperately wanted to work with Cameron," Damon told interviewer Chris Wallace in 2023. "I had a contract. I was in the middle of shooting the Bourne movie and I knew that we were going to need work at the end and I had to get it all the way to the finish line."

Cameron, speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, offered a different perspective on their interaction around 2007. He said he could not recall sending Damon the script and that their discussion never advanced beyond...