No Blue for You: Matt Damon Turned Down 'Avatar' Role

Matt Damon coated in blue paint, bounding through the forest in search of unobtanium - sounds unlikely but it apparently nearly happened.

Matt Damon apparently had the chance to star in "Avatar," but was away filming the latest of the installment of his Bourne series and could not get away in time.

On top of doing the last Bourne movie, he was also working on "The Green Zone" and had committed to it. After looking at his calendar, the actor said there was just no way he could fit everything in and have the Avatar movie be released on time.

He says via Popeater:

"I talked to Cameron and I read the script and I knew the movie was gonna be a big hit," Damon said. "I really wanted to do 'Avatar' and work with Jim Cameron and watch him direct and learn a lot."

But in the end, the lack of time won out, he said. "We were finishing 'The Bourne Ultimatum,' and I couldn't leave. It was a scheduling issue."

Do you think Damon is still kicking himself after the fact, seeing how big of a hit the movie really was?

His Bourne movie and "The Green Zone" were hits, but not nearly as big of a hit as "Avatar" was. And let's not forget all of the awards it won as well.

Damon is currently starring in the recently released film "The Adjustment Bureau," served as narrator on the documentary "Inside Job," and appeared in the Oscar-Nominated "True Grit," so it's safe to say he's probably moved on. You might even say he's not blue...