What's Na'vi for no? The Los Angeles Times reports that big names including Matt Damon and Jake Gyllenhaal turned down the role in "Avatar" that went to Sam Worthington. James Cameron claims Worthington was his first choice to play Jake Sully, but that he approached bigger stars first "to placate the studio chiefs at Fox." Cameron says he doesn't known why the two turned down the role, but admits he really didn't "go out and try to woo them."

The final reel Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga and Jeffrey Wright have joined the cast of the time-travel thriller "Source Code," Duncan Jones' followup to "Moon." ... Christoph Waltz will star as a brutal animal trainer opposite Robert Pattinson in the Depression-era circus drama "Water for Elephants." ... Ben Affleck and Matt Damon play Yankees Fritz Peterson and Mike Kekich, who infamously swapped wives in the early 1970s, in "The Trade." ... Jennifer Garner and Anna Faris will star in "The Bachelorette Party," described as "The Hangover" for the ladies. ... Ian McShane joins the "Pirates of the Caribbean" cast as Blackbeard. ... Natalie Portman will produce and star in the stoner comedy "Best Buds." ... Ron Howard returns to comedy (if you don't count the "Da Vinci Code" movies) with "Your Cheating Heart," starring Vince Vaughn and Kevin James.

CYNTHIA DICKISON