Award-winning filmmaker Steven Spielberg has revealed that he once dreamed of directing a James Bond film but was repeatedly turned down by the franchise's producer. The 79-year-old director shared his experience during an episode of The Rest Is Entertainment, as reported by People.com.
Spielberg's Attempts to Direct Bond
Spielberg expressed his regret that he was never approached to direct a Bond film. He recalled reaching out to producer Albert Romolo Broccoli, known as "Cubby," after the massive success of Jaws. "I approached Cubby Broccoli after Jaws was a big hit. I'd always wanted to make a James Bond film from the day I saw Dr. No," Spielberg said. "So I called Cubby after Jaws and volunteered. I said, 'If you need a director, I would love to direct one.' And he said, 'No,' and he moved on."
The director later crossed paths with Broccoli again after his 1977 sci-fi thriller Close Encounters of the Third Kind became a hit. Broccoli wanted to use the film's famous five-note sequence in the Bond film Moonraker. Spielberg saw this as an opportunity to negotiate. "I said, 'I'll make you a deal. I'll give you permission to use the five notes if you let me direct a Bond film.' And he said, 'No.' But I gave him the five notes anyway," Spielberg recounted. "So they consistently turned me down. He never explained why he wasn't letting me into the Bond family."
From Bond to Indiana Jones
Spielberg shared his experience with George Lucas, which led to the creation of the Indiana Jones franchise. "That's when George said, 'I have something better than Bond,'" Spielberg recalled. The project was originally called Indiana Smith. Spielberg added with humor, "So if they ever asked me to make a Bond film now, my answer would be: 'You can't afford me.'"
Thoughts on Fellow Directors
In the same interview, Spielberg was asked if he ever felt jealousy toward Lucas or Francis Ford Coppola in the pre-Jaws 1970s. He said the thought "never" crossed his mind. "Francis was our Godfather. We looked up to Francis, he was our leader throughout the '70s," Spielberg said, calling The Godfather "the greatest American film ever made." He added that he and Lucas "were best friends from the day we met."
