Steven Spielberg says James Bond producers turned him down twice to direct

Steven Spielberg at the premiere of his new film Disclosure DayOver the course of his career, Steven Spielberg has directed every genre possible, from action blockbusters to musicals and powerful war films.However, there is one film franchise that’s always eluded him.Speaking on the podcast The Rest Is Entertainment, the Oscar-winning filmmaker revealed that he was turned down not once but twice by the producers of the James Bond film.When they asked if he regretted not ever directing a 007 movie, Spielberg explained that he had previously approached the former Bond producer Albert “Cubby” Broccoli about working on the franchise – only to be rejected.“I’d always wanted to make a James Bond film from the day I saw Dr No,” the Saving Private Ryan director explained.“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.”Sean Connery in the very first James Bond film, Dr NoBroccoli, who died in 1996, then made contact with Spielberg again in 1977, after the success of Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, to request permission to use part of the film’s iconic musical theme in a Bond movie.Spielberg recalled: “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.”In good news for film fans, that second Bond rejection led to Spielberg working on Raiders Of The Lost Ark.When he told George Lucas about his failure to land the Bond gig, the Star Wars filmmaker proposed they work on Indiana Jones together. “That’s how I got that job,” he explained.Harrison Ford in Raiders Of The Lost ArkSpielberg also admitted he’s still not sure why the Bond producer never hired him for the franchise, but did joke: “If they ever asked me to make a Bond film now, my answer would be: you can’t afford me.”Dune director Denis Villeneuve is helming the next, currently-unnamed Bond film, although there is still no hint on who will step into that iconic tuxedo and play the iconic spy character next.Spielberg’s latest film, Disclosure Day is in cinemas now.MORE JAMES BOND:Jacob Elordi, Callum Turner And 19 More Actors Rumoured To Be The Next James BondCallum Turner Breaks Silence On Those Constant James Bond RumoursIdris Elba Weighs In On Possibility Of A Black Actor Playing James Bond

The Oscar winner said he pitched himself to 007 franchise producer Cubby Broccoli, but "he said no and he moved on."

As the hunt for the next James Bond continues, Steven Spielberg has long moved on from the idea of directing a 007 movie. The 3x Oscar winner revealed that he put himself up to helm an entry in the British spy franchise after seeing Dr. No (1962) but was continuously rejected by producer Albert ‘Cubby’ […]

Despite the rejection from Bond producers, the Oscar-winning director made do with another franchise: Indiana Jones. Steven Spielberg Once Wanted to Direct a Bond Movie. Now, He’d Tell Producers “You Can’t Afford Me” Liz Shannon Miller

Film-maker says he approached producer ‘Cubby’ Broccoli after Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind were hits, but was knocked back both timesSteven Spielberg said that he was turned down twice by the producers of the James Bond movies – and now they couldn’t afford him.Spielberg was speaking to The Rest Is Entertainment podcast and was asked if he had any “regrets” about not directing a 007 movie. Spielberg said that he had approached Albert “Cubby” Broccoli, the legendary Bond producer who worked on every “official” Bond film between Dr No in 1962 and License to Kill in 1989, after Spielberg’s 1975 shark thriller Jaws became a major hit, but was turned down. Spielberg said: “I’d always wanted to make a James Bond film from the day I saw Dr No. 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.” Continue reading...