Matt Damon Turned Down a $250 Million Movie — The Real Reason Behind His Decision In 2009, Matt Damon was offered the lead role in Avatar. Director James Cameron personally called him with an unprecedented deal worth up to $250 million, including backend profits. It would have been the biggest payday of his career. But Matt turned it down. At the time, he had already committed to a small independent film about a father and son. The movie’s budget was just $8 million. His salary: $600,000. Avatar