James Cameron, the director of Avatar, has responded to Matt Damon’s allegations regarding the movie’s casting, refuting the notion that the actor was originally slated for the main part.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Cameron addressed the allegations and stated that Damon was not offered the lead part in Avatar.
In a 2019 interview with British GQ, Damon stated that he declined an agreement with a 10% profit share, which he estimated may have cost him almost $250 million given that the movie went on to earn $2.79 billion worldwide.
James Cameron Said What?
Cameron claims that any discussions regarding Damon’s possible involvement in the project were informal and did not result in a formal proposal.
Cameron stated, “He was never offered the part.”
We ended up on the phone, and he said, ‘I love to explore doing a movie with you.’ I’m not sure if I emailed him the script. As a filmmaker, you have my utmost respect. (Avatar) seems fascinating. However, I must do this Jason Bourne film. I sadly had to decline it even though I agreed to it because there is a direct contradiction.
However, he never received an offer. A transaction was never made. We never discussed the character. We never reached that point. “It was just a matter of availability,” Cameron continued.
Cameron stated that the casting would have been dropped without hesitation if obtaining Damon’s participation had required a 10% portion of the movie’s earnings.
Cameron valued Damon’s strategy.
Cameron praised Damon’s strategy despite their disagreement, pointing out that the actor spoke with him directly about the issue and declined Avatar since he had already committed to another movie.
“That’s an honorable guy,” Cameron remarked. “He felt compelled to call me personally and tell me; he said he didn’t want it to come from the agent.” Respect for Matt, then. One day, I hope to collaborate with him.
The Hollywood Reporter claims that Sam Worthington was ultimately cast as Jake Sully in Avatar, but Channing Tatum was also given consideration for the role.
After the success of Avatar: The Way of Water in 2022, the Australian actor is back to star in the next third film in the trilogy, Avatar: Fire and Ash.
