James Cameron Joked That He Must Do an ‘Avatar’ Sequel With Matt Damon
Matt Damon famously lost out on a lot of money after turning down James Cameron’s Avatar. But Cameron noted that there were plenty of other Avatar movies for the Bourne Identity star to do. However, it wouldn’t be for the same lucrative deal that Damon would’ve had for the first film.
James Cameron told Matt Damon to get over ‘Avatar’ loss
Although Damon currently has a net worth of $170 million, it could’ve been a bit higher if he starred in Cameron’s Avatar. The actor was Cameron’s first choice to play disabled soldier Jake Sully in the blockbuster sci-fi film. According to Damon, The Terminator director even called him up personally to offer him the role.
“And when he offered it to me, he goes, ‘Now, listen. I don’t need anybody. I don’t need a name for this, a named actor. If you don’t take this, I’m going to find an unknown actor and give it to him, because the movie doesn’t really need you,’” Damon recalled in an interview with GQ.
Cameron offered Damon 10 percent of the gross, which meant he would’ve earned somewhere around $250 million after the movie’s massive box-office success. But it was an offer Damon had to turn down due to his commitment to the Bourne franchise.
“I would have had to screw over the people working on the Bourne Ultimatum and I couldn’t do that ethically,” Damon once told The Talks. “So it’s not like I wasn’t doing anything and I just passed on Avatar. That never would have happened.”
Not too long ago, Cameron reacted to Damon’s comments about missing out on Avatar. But he felt the Oscar-winner had little to regret, as he was already one of the world’s biggest movie stars. Cameron also asserted that it was possible for the two to collaborate on another Avatar project somewhere down the line. But Damon wouldn’t make anywhere close to the same money he would’ve had if he did the original film.
“We have to do it so the world is in equilibrium again,” Cameron told BBC Radio. “But he doesn’t get 10%, f*** that.”
How much did Sam Worthington make in the latest ‘Avatar’ sequel?
Cameron made good on his promise by casting an unknown for the film. He eventually hired Worthington to play Jake Sully, which was a life-changing experience for the actor. Worthington was having a tough time getting by when Cameron contacted him for his breakthrough feature. So much so that Worthington was living out of his car.
Avatar not only offered Worthington financial security, but helped attract other film opportunities like Clash of the Titans his way so he could make a living. And if he was hurting for money before, Avatar: The Way of Water surely made it so that he’d never worry about money again.
According to GQ India, Worthington earned $10 million for the long awaited sequel. He also reportedly earned 5% of the movie’s gross. Given The Way of Water was almost as much of a hit as its predecessor, the publication estimated Worthington earned $100 million for the film. This would’ve been a huge boost for his net worth, which typically hovered at $30 million.
How Sam Worthington beat out other A-list actors for ‘Avatar’
Damon wasn’t the only big name that Cameron considered for the role. The likes of Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Evans, and Channing Tatum were all considered for the space epic. But according to Cameron, Worthington managed to edge them all out thanks to his unique approach to the audition.
“I really liked Channing’s appeal, I liked Chris’ appeal,” Cameron told Empire not too long ago. “They were both great, great guys. But Sam had a quality of voice and a quality of intensity. Everybody did about the same with all the material throughout the script except the final speech, where he stands and says, ‘This is our land, right now, go as fast as the wind will carry you.’ That whole thing, I would have followed him into battle and I wouldn’t have followed the other guys.
