Steven Spielberg has revealed that he was turned down not once but twice by the producers of the James Bond movies, and now he believes they could not afford him.
The acclaimed filmmaker shared this anecdote during an appearance on The Rest Is Entertainment podcast, where he was asked if he had any regrets about not directing a 007 film. Spielberg explained that he approached legendary Bond producer Albert 'Cubby' Broccoli after his 1975 shark thriller Jaws became a massive hit, but his offer was declined.
'I'd always wanted to make a James Bond film from the day I saw Dr No,' Spielberg said. 'So I called Cubby Broccoli after Jaws and I volunteered. I said, if you need a director, I would love to direct one. And he said, no. And he moved on.'
Spielberg then recounted a second attempt after the 1977 release of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Broccoli contacted Spielberg to request permission to use the film's distinctive five-tone musical theme for the 1979 Bond film Moonraker. Spielberg saw an opportunity to negotiate.
'Cubby called me again after Close Encounters came out and that was a big hit ... and said, we'd like to use the five notes in Moonraker. And 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, nope. But I gave him the five notes anyway,' Spielberg recalled.
Interestingly, this rejection led directly to the creation of the Indiana Jones franchise. After telling George Lucas about his failed Bond ambitions during the release of Star Wars, Lucas offered him a new project. 'That's when George said, I have something better than Bond. It's called Indiana Smith, which is what it was called at the time. And he told me the premise of the Indiana Jones series. And that's how I got that job,' Spielberg said.
Spielberg noted that Broccoli never explained why he was not allowed into the Bond family. However, he added with a touch of humor: 'If they ever asked me to make a Bond film now, my answer would be: you can't afford me.'
