"I'm too expensive for you": Steven Spielberg explains why he won't direct a new James Bond film

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14 Jun 07:01

Steven Spielberg participated in The Rest Is Entertainment podcast, during which he shared the story of how he tried several times to direct a James Bond film.

According to the director, he was constantly rejected. Making a film about Agent 007 had been a long-standing dream of his — ever since he saw "Dr. No." After "Jaws," he contacted Albert Broccoli and offered his candidacy:

I told him: "If you need a director, I'd be happy to do the film." And he told me "No."

Several years later, Broccoli himself contacted Spielberg, but not with an offer to make a Bond film. He wanted to use the five-note musical theme from Spielberg's film "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" in his new project "Moonraker":

I then said: "Let's make a deal: I'll let you use those five notes if you let me make a Bond film." And he refused again. But I still gave him permission. They kept refusing me — at least, Broccoli did. He never explained why he didn't want to accept me into the "Bond family."
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Spielberg then shared the story of the rejections with George Lucas, who told him: "I have something better than Bond — Indiana Smith." That's how the director got a new job and the Indiana Jones film series was born.

Now Spielberg has an extensive track record of iconic films and various awards, so he stated:

If they offered me a Bond film now, I would say: "I'm too expensive for you."

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