The one mega franchise Steven Spielberg couldn’t crack—despite knocking for years

Steven Spielberg’s had one particular cinematic itch for decades—and it’s not the one you might expect. Forget flying sharks or friendly aliens; what Spielberg actually wanted, once upon a time, was a shot at directing James Bond. Yes, really.

Spielberg, Bond, and the Near Miss

It all started, apparently, with Spielberg’s first experience of 'Dr. No'. Like plenty of filmmakers, young Spielberg was instantly hooked by Bond’s world of gadgets, spies, and cringeworthy one-liners. Fast forward to 1975: 'Jaws' had just obliterated the box office, making Spielberg a household name practically overnight. So what did he do with his new industry clout? He picked up the phone and rang none other than Albert R 'Cubby' Broccoli—the long-time Bond producer.

Spielberg himself told the story on the podcast 'The Rest Is Entertainment':

'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.'

That’s it. No polite dithering, no mealy-mouthed 'let’s have a meeting'—just a straight 'no' from Cubby Broccoli. Which, honestly, takes a certain kind of confidence considering Spielberg was Hollywood’s new golden boy at the time.

'No' Turns Into an Odd Bargaining Chip

You’d think that would be the end of it, but Spielberg tried again a few years down the line. This time, Broccoli actually came to him—but only for a favour. Broccoli wanted the trademark five-note cue from 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' for use in 'Moonraker'. Spielberg spotted an opportunity, going for a straightforward bit of deal-making: 'I’ll give you the five notes if you let me direct one of your Bond films.'

Broccoli didn’t even blink before giving him—yep, another 'no'. Spielberg, in classic fashion, let him have the music anyway.

As Spielberg put it:

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

Rejection That Changed Cinema (Sort Of)

After being shut down not once but twice, Spielberg found himself on a Hawaiian beach in 1977, venting to George Lucas. Lucas—never one to let a mate stew—pitched him a rough idea for a character called 'Indiana Smith', a whip-cracking archaeologist with serious style. Spielberg loved it and together they tweaked the concept (yes, Indiana Jones sounds much better than Indiana Smith).

The result? Instead of Bond, Spielberg ended up creating 'Raiders of the Lost Ark'—launching a franchise that gave Bond a real run for his money in the adventure stakes.

Spielberg on Bond These Days

Decades later, don’t expect to see Spielberg’s name on a Bond film any time soon. Asked if he’d still be up for it, Spielberg’s answer was: 'You can’t afford me.'

• Steven Spielberg tried and failed—twice—to direct a James Bond film
• First rejection: just after 'Jaws' made him a star
• Second go: when Broccoli wanted Spielberg’s music for 'Moonraker'
• The repeated brush-off directly led to the creation of Indiana Jones

Spielberg’s latest, 'Disclosure Day', lands on 12 June.