Sam Worthington’s Avatar Salary is Nothing Close to What Matt Damon Could Have Earned But It’s Still Higher Than Robert Downey Jr’s MCU Payday

Avatar: Fire and Ash is set to hit theaters next year, marking the third sequel in one of the world’s biggest franchises. The first movie made history, winning a Golden Globe in 2010 and snagging several Oscars. So, it’s easy to imagine how much the cast, especially lead actor Sam Worthington, has gained from being part of this massive production.

Also, not many people know that Worthington wasn’t the first choice for the role, but once he landed it, his paycheck was pretty surprising. At the time, the actor wasn’t the biggest name in Hollywood, but interestingly, what he’s earned from Avatar even tops Robert Downey Jr.’s initial salary.

How Much Money Matt Damon Would Have Earned From Avatar

Matt Damon has been one of Hollywood’s biggest stars for a long time, which is why director James Cameron wanted him to lead the Avatar saga. However, Damon had to turn down the offer due to his commitment to the Bourne franchise.

Currently, Damon has a net worth of $170 million, but it’s interesting to think he could have much more if he had starred in the Avatar films. The director even offered him 10% of the box office, which would have earned him around $250 million from the first film alone. (via Showbiz Cheat Sheet)

Cameron wanted him in the role so badly that he even called the actor personally, saying that if he didn’t take it, he’d cast someone unknown. Damon shared this in detail during an interview with GQ in 2019:

And when he offered it to me, he goes, ‘Now, listen. I don’t need anybody. I don’t need a name for this, a named actor. If you don’t take this, I’m going to find an unknown actor and give it to him, because the movie doesn’t really need you.

Cameron held no hard feelings towards the actor and even mentioned afterward that he still hoped to collaborate with him on something in the future. (via BBC Radio)

How Much Money Did Sam Worthington Earn From Avatar?

Sticking to what he promised, the director went on to cast Sam Worthington as Jake Sully. At that time, Worthington was living in his car, and Cameron’s invitation completely changed his life.

After the movie, the actor landed other roles in films like Clash of the Titans, and The Shack. The exact amount he made for the first Avatar is unknown, but for the sequel, he received $10 million along with 5% of the box office earnings, which netted him an additional $100 million. (via Screen Rant)

When comparing it to Robert Downey Jr. joining the MCU, the differences are pretty striking. Before the first Iron Man movie, Downey was already a well-known star, while Worthington wasn’t as famous when he came on board for Avatar.

The Marvel actor earned around $500,000 for his first film. In the two sequels, he made $10 million and then $75 million dollars, respectively. None of his other films individually ever crossed the three-digit mark in earnings. Downey has only built his current net worth through all his MCU films combined — along with some other movies, certainly. (via Marca)

How Much Did Other Avatar Stars Earn?

Avatar is part of one of the highest-grossing box offices in the world, raking in over $2 billion worldwide. So it wasn’t just the lead actor who saw his earnings increase; the rest of the cast also benefited significantly.

There isn’t any information about the actors’ salaries for the first movie, but with Avatar: The Way of Water alone, it’s possible to get a clear idea of the accomplishments of each cast member.

Worthington’s co-star, Zoë Saldaña, already had a solid reputation in Hollywood before joining the saga. However, Cameron’s films really helped catapult her career, even leading her to join the MCU. She reportedly earned around $8 million from the Avatar sequel. (via Sportskeeda)

Hollywood veteran Kate Winslet is said to have earned $6 million, Sigourney Weaver earned $3.5 million, and Stephen Lang made $2 million for their roles in the second film.

All Avatar movies are available for streaming on Disney+. The third film in the saga is set to be released in 2025, with the fourth and fifth films planned for 2029 and 2031, respectively.