Steven Spielberg revealed on a podcast that he was repeatedly rejected in his attempts to direct a James Bond film. The director shared details of his approaches to producer Cubby Broccoli following the success of Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
Spielberg said he first reached out to Broccoli after Jaws became a hit. He recalled telling the producer he had wanted to make a Bond movie since seeing Dr. No and volunteered to direct one. Broccoli declined the offer. A few years later, after Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Broccoli sought permission to use the film's five-note melody in Moonraker. Spielberg again proposed directing a Bond film in exchange but was turned down once more. The director noted that Broccoli never explained the decision. Spielberg added that if asked to direct a Bond film now his response would be that the producers could not afford him. He linked the experience to later opportunities, recounting how he shared the story with George Lucas in 1977, which led to the Indiana Jones series. Spielberg's new film Disclosure Day is scheduled to open in theaters on June 12.
