15 Actors Who Stupidly Turned Down Billion Dollar Movies

11. Matt Damon - Avatar

Matt Damon has had the luxury of turning down several huge roles in Hollywood, and his career has been so successful for the most part that he probably has few regrets.

Asked if there were any career moments where he felt fate intervening, Damon spoke of how close he came to starring in Avatar with characteristic humour:

"Clearly for me, passing up the chance to be in Avatar in order to do Green Zone was one of those moments. Because Avatar didn't do very well… the DVD of Green Zone is just gonna go huge."

He also revealed why he passed up that chance:

"It wasn't anything against Avatar. I talked to Cameron, I read the script, and I really wanted to do Avatar to work with Jim Cameron, to watch him direct, because I was going to learn a lot."

What He Made Instead

Green Zone. Damon also says his shooting schedule for Bourne Ultimatum made it impossible, but that film debuted in July 2007, and Avatar didn't start until April 2007. Had he wanted the role, you have to imagine they could have made the wiggle room after Avatar was stuck in development hell for so long.

And though Sam Worthington probably needs the sequels more than Damon ever would, the idea of such a lucrative gig has got to be appealing to any actor. Particularly one who wanted to work with James Cameron so much.