Spielberg Reveals Bond Rejection That Created Indiana Jones

Steven Spielberg says he wanted to direct James Bond from the moment he saw Dr. No in 1962 and kept offering himself for the job, only to be turned away by producer Albert "Cubby" Broccoli. On The Rest Is Entertainment podcast he recalled his first approach after Jaws: "So I called Cubby Broccoli after Jaws, and I volunteered.

I said, if you need a director, I would love to direct one. And he said, No." He tried a second time when Broccoli sought the five-note motif from Close Encounters for Moonraker, offering the theme in exchange for the director's chair. Broccoli declined again, though Spielberg gave him the notes anyway.

That rejection left Spielberg free when George Lucas called with a different pitch. "That's when George said, I have something better than Bond.

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