Casting an epic like “Avatar” wasn’t just about finding new faces—it also meant seriously considering some of the biggest names in Hollywood. Over the years, Cameron has revealed that several high-profile actors were discussed, pursued, or nearly signed on before the final ensemble took shape. These near-misses offer a glimpse into how different Pandora might have looked if things had gone just slightly another way.
The Many Almost-Avatars
In the early stages of development, James Cameron reportedly offered the lead role of Jake Sully to Matt Damon, along with a 10% share of the film’s profits. Damon ultimately passed due to his commitment to The Bourne Ultimatum, creating one of modern Hollywood’s most famous near-misses.
Source: IMDb
As casting expanded, several prominent actors entered the mix. Chris Pratt and Chris Pine both auditioned, while the studio pushed hard for Jake Gyllenhaal to take the role. Gyllenhaal declined in favor of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, leaving Cameron to continue his search.
The final shortlist for Jake Sully reportedly came down to Channing Tatum, Chris Evans, and Sam Worthington. Cameron ultimately chose Worthington, then a relative unknown, continuing his pattern of favoring fresh faces for effects-driven epics.
On the antagonist side, Michael Biehn—who had previously worked with Cameron on The Terminator, Aliens, and Terminator 2: Judgment Day—was briefly considered for the role that ultimately went to Stephen Lang: the hard-edged Colonel Miles Quaritch. Meanwhile, casting Neytiri followed its own winding path, with Charisma Carpenter initially attached before aging out, followed by a worldwide search that included Q’orianka Kilcher and an audition from Emily Blunt, before Zoe Saldaña secured the role.
