In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter<\/a> earlier this month, the 71-year-old director addressed previous claims made by Matt Damon that he was offered a role in “Avatar” and a percentage of the film’s gross but had to turn it down because he was filming one of the “Jason Bourne” movies.<\/p>\n “He was never offered the part,” Cameron said. “I can\u2019t remember if I sent him the script or not. I don\u2019t think I did. Then we wound up on a call, and he said, \u2018I 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 \u2018Jason Bourne\u2019 movie. I\u2019ve agreed to it, it\u2019s a direct conflict, and so, regretfully, I have to turn it down.\u2019<\/p>\n “But he was never offered,” Cameron continued. “There was never a deal. We never talked about the character. We never got to that level. It was simply an availability issue.”<\/p>\n Cameron sets the record straight on Damon’s claims he was offered a part in “Avatar.” (Pascal Le Segretain\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY CLARIFIES LONG-STANDING RUMOR THAT HIS ACCENT COST HIM MILLIONS IN HOLLYWOOD<\/a><\/p>\n The “Titanic” director<\/a> added that if getting a percentage of the film’s gross profit is what it would have taken to get Damon to agree to star in the film, “then it wouldn\u2019t have happened. Trust me on that.”<\/p>\n Despite never having offered him the role, Cameron commended Damon for turning down the opportunity to work with him because he was already attached to another film and for calling him personally to let him know.<\/p>\n “He said he didn\u2019t want it to come from the agent. That\u2019s an honorable guy,” Cameron said. “So, all respect to Matt. I\u2019d love to work with him someday. But that never happened. It was a conflation of different things that were happening.”<\/p>\n Cameron then let Damon “off the hook,” telling the actor he “doesn\u2019t have to beat himself up anymore,” assuring him he “didn\u2019t miss anything.”<\/p>\n Damon once said he was offered 10% of “Avatar.” (Angela Weiss\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n Damon previously claimed he almost starred in the film, saying “Jim Cameron called me. He offered me 10% of ‘Avatar.'”<\/p>\n “You will never meet an actor who turned down more money than me. \u2026 I was in the middle of shooting the ‘Bourne’ movie and I would have to leave the movie kind of early and leave them in the lurch a little bit, and I didn\u2019t want to do that,” he said. “[Cameron] was really lovely. He said, \u2018If you don\u2019t do this, this movie doesn\u2019t really need you. It doesn\u2019t need a movie star at all. The movie is the star, the idea is the star and it\u2019s going to work. But if you do it, I\u2019ll give you 10% of the movie.'”<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER<\/a><\/p>\n The role ultimately went to Sam Worthington, who reprised the character in the film’s two sequels.<\/p>\n “Avatar” made $2.74 billion at the box office worldwide<\/a>, becoming the highest-grossing film of all time in 2010, when it surpassed “Titanic.” It kept the record for the highest-grossing film ever for nine years, before “Avengers: Endgame” took the top spot in April 2019, making $2.79 billion.<\/p>\n The lead role eventually went to Sam Worthington. (Pietro D’Aprano\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n It later reclaimed the top spot when it was released again in theaters. Also included on the list are “Avenger Infinity War” and “Avatar: The Way of Water.”<\/p>\n Actress Zoe Salda\u00f1a stars in all four films, playing Neytiri in the “Avatar” series and superhero Gamora in the “Avengers” movies<\/a>, making her the only actor to star in four films that grossed over $2 billion at the global box office.<\/p>\n LIKE WHAT YOU\u2019RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS<\/a><\/p>\n Salda\u00f1a is the first actress to star in four movies that made over $2 billion at the worldwide box office. (Stephane Cardinale\/Corbis\/Corbis via Getty Images)<\/p>\n “I feel grateful and like the luckiest girl in this town knowing that I was invited to join films with special directors in a special cast,” she told Deadline<\/a> in December 2022 about appearing in many different franchises.<\/p>\n![\"James](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/james-cameron-fire-ash-premiere.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Matt](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/matt-damon-shadow-force-premiere.jpg\")
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<\/p>\n![\"Zoe](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/zoe-saldana-fire-ash-premiere.jpg\")
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