Matt Damon Said No to a Huge Film Franchise That He Thinks Could Have Made Him $250 Million

Actor Matt Damon revealed in a recent interview that he turned down a significant role that could have potentially earned him upwards of $250 million. The role in question was the lead role in James Cameron’s blockbuster film “Avatar,” which went on to become the highest-grossing movie of all time since its release in 2009, with a lifetime gross of nearly $3 billion.

During his appearance on CNN’s “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace,” Damon discussed the opportunity he had to take on the lead role in “Avatar” and receive a percentage of the film’s earnings. He jokingly referred to the calculation of $250 million and expressed that he is “sure it’s the most money an actor ever turned down.”

However, Damon explained that his decision was influenced by his commitment to the “Bourne” series, in which he starred between 2002 and 2016. He did not want to leave the production of the series unfinished and felt obligated to remain dedicated to the “Bourne” franchise instead of taking on the role in “Avatar.”

As a result, James Cameron ended up casting Sam Worthington as the lead in “Avatar,” alongside other notable actors such as Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Joel David Moore, and Michelle Rodriguez.

“Avatar” went on to achieve unparalleled success, becoming the highest-grossing film of all time, while its long-awaited sequel, “Avatar: The Way of the Water,” released last year, secured the third-highest grossing film ever with a lifetime gross of $2.3 billion.

Though Damon’s decision may be one he reflects upon, it’s evident that he continued to have a successful career without being a part of Cameron’s cinematic universe on Pandora. Currently, he stars in director Christopher Nolan’s latest war-era epic “Oppenheimer,” which premiered in theaters on Friday.

While Damon’s claim of turning down the most money ever by an actor is debatable, it’s worth noting that actors like Sean Connery were also faced with significant roles that they declined. For instance, Connery famously passed on the role of Gandalf in Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, which reportedly would have earned him around $450 million with the offered compensation of $30 million for each movie and 15 per cent of the box office take.