Steven Spielberg says James Bond producers turned him down for decades and that they ‘cannot afford me’

George Lucas offered Spielberg Indiana Jones after repeated Bond rejections changed the director’s path

Steven Spielberg has revealed that his long held dream of directing a James Bond film never materialised after repeated rejections from longtime franchise producer Albert R Broccoli.

Speaking on The Rest Is Entertainment podcast while promoting his new film Disclosure Day, Spielberg said he first approached Broccoli after the enormous success of Jaws in 1975. Having grown up as a fan of the Bond series since seeing Dr. No, the filmmaker hoped the blockbuster success of Jaws would open the door to the famous spy franchise.

According to Spielberg, he personally contacted Broccoli and volunteered his services. However, the answer was a straightforward no.

Years later, after the release of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Broccoli contacted Spielberg for permission to use the film’s iconic five note musical motif in Moonraker. Spielberg agreed, but jokingly attempted another negotiation.

He recalled offering the music in exchange for the opportunity to direct a Bond movie. Broccoli again declined, although Spielberg still granted permission for the melody to be used.

Despite multiple attempts, Spielberg said he was never given an explanation for why he was kept outside the Bond family. The director added that Broccoli consistently turned him down throughout the years.

Ironically, those disappointments ultimately led to one of Spielberg’s most successful collaborations. He explained that while spending time in Hawaii with George Lucas in 1977 ahead of the release of Star Wars: A New Hope, he shared the Bond story with Lucas.

Lucas responded by pitching a different adventure series, which at the time was known as “Indiana Smith”. That project eventually evolved into the Indiana Jones franchise, with Spielberg directing Raiders of the Lost Ark and its sequels.

Looking back, Spielberg suggested that if Bond producers approached him today, the circumstances would be very different. He joked that they would no longer be able to afford him.

The Oscar winning filmmaker has previously spoken about other major projects he passed on during his career. Among them was the first Harry Potter film, which he declined in order to spend more time with his young children.

Spielberg is currently promoting Disclosure Day, which arrives in cinemas on June 12. Meanwhile, the James Bond franchise continues its search for a new direction following Amazon MGM Studios taking creative control of the series.