Spielberg reveals why Bond franchise will never be able to afford him

• Spielberg twice asked Cubby Broccoli to direct a Bond film
• He offered use of Close Encounters' melody in exchange for a Bond role
• Bond's rejection led directly to Spielberg helming Indiana Jones

Steven Spielberg has spoken candidly about his long-standing but repeatedly frustrated ambition to direct a James Bond film, appearing on The Rest Is Entertainment podcast during his press tour for Disclosure Day. The Oscar-winning director disclosed that franchise producer Cubby Broccoli turned him down on more than one occasion, even after he had become one of the biggest names in Hollywood.

The plea after Jaws

Following the extraordinary box-office success of Jaws, Spielberg personally reached out to Broccoli and made his case for a Bond assignment. His passion for the franchise, he explained, went back to childhood.

"I approached Cubby after 'Jaws' was a big hit. I'd always wanted to make a James Bond film from the day I saw 'Dr. No,' 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."

A musical bargaining chip

Several years later, Broccoli came back to Spielberg — not with a directing offer, but with a request to use the memorable five-note sequence from Close Encounters of the Third Kind in the 1979 Bond feature Moonraker. Spielberg saw an opportunity and proposed a trade.

"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. So they consistently turned me down – at least, Broccoli did. He never explained why he wasn't letting me into the Bond family."

Indiana Jones fills the void

It was precisely this sequence of rejections that inadvertently opened the door to another iconic franchise. When Spielberg shared his Bond frustrations with George Lucas in 1977, whilst the two were in Hawaii ahead of the release of Star Wars: A New Hope, Lucas responded with an entirely different proposition.

"When I told that story to George Lucas in 1977, when we were in Hawaii together getting ready for the release of 'Star Wars: A New Hope,' he said, 'I have something better than Bond. It's called Indiana Smith,' which is what it was called at the time. He told me the premise of the Indiana Jones series, and that's how I got that job. So if they ever asked me to make a Bond film now, my answer would be: 'You can't afford me.'"

Harry Potter also left on the table

Bond was not the only major franchise to slip through Spielberg's hands. He was at one stage in the frame to direct the first Harry Potter film but ultimately declined the opportunity — a decision he says he does not regret, given what he gained in return.

"There were several films I chose not to make. I chose to turn down the first 'Harry Potter' to basically spend that next year and a half with my family, my young kids growing up. So I'd sacrificed a great franchise, which today looking back I'm very happy to have done, to be with my family."

Spielberg made those remarks in a 2023 interview. Disclosure Day opens in cinemas on 12 June. The full interview is available on The Rest Is Entertainment podcast.