“There was never a deal”: James Cameron Debunks Matt Damon’s $250M Avatar Paycheck

Before James Cameron cast Sam Worthington in Avatar, Matt Damon was reportedly considered for the role. According to the Jason Bourne star, he was allegedly offered 10% of the movie’s total gross. Considering the first movie grossed north of $2.5 billion during its initial box office run, with its lifetime total standing at $2.9 billion, Damon would’ve easily banked a paycheck of more than $250 million (via The Hollywood Reporter).

[Cameron] was really lovely, he said: ‘If you don’t do this, this movie doesn’t really need you. It doesn’t need a movie star at all. The movie is the star, the idea is the star, and it’s going to work.