Steven Spielberg mentioned that he was turned down twice by the producers of the James Bond motion pictures – and now they couldn’t afford him.
Spielberg was chatting with The Relaxation Is Leisure podcast and was requested if he had any “regrets” about not directing a 007 film. Spielberg mentioned that he had approached Albert “Cubby” Broccoli, the legendary Bond producer who labored on each “official” Bond movie between Dr No in 1962 and License to Kill in 1989, after Spielberg’s 1975 shark thriller Jaws grew to become a significant hit, however was turned down. Spielberg mentioned: “I’d at all times needed to make a James Bond movie from the day I noticed Dr No. So I known as Cubby Broccoli after Jaws and I volunteered. I mentioned, if you happen to want a director, I’d like to direct one. And he mentioned, no. And he moved on.”
Spielberg then mentioned Broccoli contacted him after the 1977 launch of Shut Encounters of the Third Variety to request use of the movie’s distinctive five-tone musical theme for what grew to become the 1979 house thriller Moonraker and mentioned he tried to make an settlement with Broccoli to direct a Bond movie, however was once more turned down. “Cubby known as me once more after Shut Encounters got here out and that was a giant hit … and mentioned, we’d like to make use of the 5 notes in Moonraker. And I mentioned, I’ll make you a deal. I’ll offer you permission to make use of the 5 notes if you happen to let me direct a Bond movie. And he mentioned, nope. However I gave him the 5 notes anyway.”
In accordance with Spielberg, the story led on to his engaged on Raiders of the Misplaced Ark; after telling George Lucas through the launch of Star Wars how he had been rejected by Broccoli, Lucas responded by providing him his new venture. “That’s when George mentioned, I’ve one thing higher than Bond. It’s known as Indiana Smith, which is what it was known as on the time. And he advised me the premise of the Indiana Jones sequence. And that’s how I bought that job.”
Spielberg added: “[Broccoli] by no means defined why he wasn’t letting me within the Bond household … [but] in the event that they ever requested me to make a Bond movie now, my reply could be: you’ll be able to’t afford me.”
