James Cameron has told Matt Damon to "get over" turning down 'Avatar'.

The 52-year-old actor revealed last year that he was courted by the director to star in the 2009 sci-fi epic but rejected a deal that would have seen him get 10 per cent of the movie's box office profits, which would have earned him more than US$250 million (S$338 million).

However, the Titanic director has little sympathy for the Hollywood star.

In an interview with the BBC, James said: "He's beating himself up over this. And I really think you know, 'Matt you're kind of like one of the biggest movie stars in the world, get over it.'

"But he had to do another Bourne film which was on his runway and there was nothing we could do about that. So he had to regretfully decline."

Cameron would be happy for Damon to make a cameo appearance in a future Avatar sequel but wouldn't be offering him any box office takings.

When asked about an appearance from Matt, the filmmaker said: "Must do it. We have to do it so the world is in equilibrium again. But he doesn't get 10 per cent, f*** that."

Matt previously lamented how turning down the chance to play Jake Sully cost him a fortune as the part eventually went to Sam Worthington.

He said: "I was offered a little movie called Avatar. I will go down in history. You will never meet an actor who turned down more money than me."

Matt joked that he would have had enough money to send a rocket into space like tycoons Sir Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos.

The actor said: "With these billionaires blasting off into space I probably would have bought a rocket ship, I don't know."

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Source: Bang