Why Matt Damon Turned Down $250 Million Offer to Star in Avatar

Matt Damon's decision to turn down a $250 million offer to star in James Cameron's 2009 film Avatar has been making headlines.

Despite the massive payday that awaited him, the actor had a good reason for declining the role.

During an interview on Who's Talking with Chris Wallace, Matt revealed that he was in the midst of shooting a Bourne movie and had a contractual obligation to finish it.

Leaving the project early would have left his co-workers in a tough spot, which he couldn't bring himself to do.

“I desperately wanted to work with Cameron because he worked so rarely,” Matt explained.

However, he couldn't abandon his friends and colleagues who were counting on him to see the Bourne film through to the end.

Instead, Sam Worthington took on the leading role of Jake Sully in Avatar after Matt passed on the opportunity.

Reflecting on his decision, Matt shared a conversation he had with John Krasinski, where they imagined how different things would be if he had accepted the role.

“I tell him about Avatar and he launches himself out of the chair,” Matt recalled.

“He starts pacing the kitchen, he goes, ‘Nothing in your life would be different today if you had done that movie, except you and I would be having this conversation in space.'”

Despite Matt's decision, James Cameron doesn't hold any hard feelings.

In fact, he joked about it during an interview with the BBC, acknowledging that Matt had prior commitments to the Bourne franchise.

He expressed his desire for Matt to appear in future Avatar films but made it clear that the actor wouldn't receive the same deal as before.

With three more films planned for the Avatar franchise, fans can only wonder what could have been if Matt Damon had chosen differently.

However, it seems that both Matt and James have made peace with the path their careers have taken.