Imagine a world where the highest-grossing film of all time starred someone completely different. It's a mind-bending thought, but it almost happened with James Cameron's Avatar! This cinematic juggernaut, which has raked in a staggering $2.92 billion at the box office (briefly losing its title to Avengers: Endgame), and spawned a franchise worth billions more, could have looked very different. The sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, further solidified its legacy, becoming the third-highest-grossing film ever with $2.34 billion in 2022. And the story continues, with Avatar: Fire and Ash slated for a December release.
The film launched Sam Worthington into stardom and, of course, a comfortable fortune. But, as it turns out, the role of Jake Sully could have easily gone to another actor.
In a candid career retrospective with Vanity Fair, James Cameron revealed the behind-the-scenes drama. When assembling the cast, Worthington faced some stiff competition for the lead role. Cameron favored Worthington, but the studio, 20th Century Fox, had other ideas. They were particularly keen on Channing Tatum, who was fresh off the success of the Step Up movies.
Cameron shared his perspective: "There were three young actors that were really nowhere in their careers at the time. All three of them went on to be movie stars. I had to choose between them, and I did a series of screen tests. First, it was a straight audition. Then I set up real screen tests, on sets. There was a lab set, a jungle set. Zoë [Saldana] came in and tested with everybody, and Sam was the one I kept going back to. The studio disagreed. The Fox guys liked the other guys better. I'll say, one of them was Channing Tatum. It could've been Channing Tatum! (Sam) is the guy I would follow into battle, I would follow him into hell. He spoke in a way that resonated."
But here's where it gets controversial: Matt Damon famously turned down the role, and the 10% of profits that came with it, a decision he later regretted. While Damon was already a major star, both Worthington and Tatum were still on the rise. Landing a role with a director like Cameron, the man behind Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Titanic, was a massive opportunity. Worthington ultimately won the part.
Tatum, however, didn't let the rejection derail his career. He went on to star in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra in 2009, and even auditioned for the role of Thor (which ultimately went to Chris Hemsworth). Tatum's career flourished, with roles in everything from Magic Mike to The Hateful Eight. He's had major hits like 21 Jump Street and critical successes like Foxcatcher. And now, he's even playing Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine.
And this is the part most people miss... It's fascinating to consider how Tatum's career trajectory might have changed if he'd been the face of Avatar. It wasn't just Tatum and Worthington vying for the role; Chris Evans, our future Captain America, was also in the running.
In 2019, Cameron told Empire magazine, "Chris Evans, and Sam, and Channing Tatum. That was my choice. They were both great guys. But Sam had a quality of voice and a quality of intensity. Everybody did about the same on all the material through the script, except for the final speech where he stands up and says, 'This is our land, ride now, go as fast as the wind can carry you.' That whole thing. I would have followed him into battle."
Avatar: Fire and Ash is set to hit theaters on December 19, 2025.
What do you think? Would Channing Tatum have made a good Jake Sully? Do you think things would have been better or worse for his career? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
