“I’ve got something better than Bond”: Steven Spielberg Wanted to Make the Next James Bond Movie When George Lucas Came up With Indiana Jones
Steven Spielberg, the filmmaking legend who gave the world the first summer blockbuster with Jaws, always had storytelling in his blood. Being a cinema enthusiast, he not only appreciates his own works, but also remains connected with those movies, which contributed a lot to his growth as a movie lover. Among the movies that he always looked up to was none other than the iconic James Bond series.
Spielberg was fascinated by high-stakes spy missions, stunts, and global politics. As he established himself as one of the best in Hollywood, Spielberg developed an ambition to direct a James Bond film.
With each revolutionary success, Spielberg was dreaming more and more of making his own Bond movie. However, destiny played its part as producer Cubby Broccoli dismissed the idea of him being the right man for the job.
James Bond’s Rejection Led to the Birth of Indiana Jones
According to Independent, Steven Spielberg tried to approach the makers of James Bond twice. However, he was rejected each time. Spielberg said in an interview on BBC Radio 2 show,
“I called Cubby Broccoli twice, and after Jaws which was such a huge success, I thought ‘Hey people are giving me final cut now.’ So I called up Cubby and offered my services but he didn’t think I was right for the part.”
However, Spielberg’s determination to bring his vision of adventure to the big screen didn’t stop there. While talking with fellow filmmaker and his friend George Lucas, the idea to create a new film icon was born.
According to The Guardian, both filmmakers were discussing the problems they were facing while directing their movies, Jaws and Star Wars. Spielberg said,
“I mentioned I’d always wanted to make a James Bond picture and George said, ‘I’ve got something better than Bond’. He told me the plot of Raiders and he said the very best thing would be, we wouldn’t have a single piece of hardware in the film.”
It was the inception of one of the most popular cinematic franchises of all time, Indiana Jones. For the next four years, both directors got busy with their own work. It was at that time that Spielberg went back to his inspirations from 1930s and 1940s movies.
Based on the pulp novels and serial adventures of that era, Spielberg and Lucas created a character that was rugged and intelligent. Indiana Jones showed their creative ability as Spielberg took on the directorial role of the franchise and Lucas worked on the story and screenplay.
Why Did Cubby Broccoli Reject Steven Spielberg for James Bond’s Directorial Role?
Viewers may wonder how James Bond would be under Steven Spielberg’s direction. However, if Cubby Broccoli had accepted Spielberg’s demands, James Bond movies might not be known for what they are now.
Broccoli wanted to have a definitive style for the franchise instead of going by a director’s innovation. Moreover, he always took Ian Fleming’s novels very seriously and didn’t want to give the responsibility of an English franchise to an American director. Also, as big of a name as Spielberg, it might be a bit concerning for him that the creative control would be compromised.
Spielberg would have directed The Spy Who Loved Me or Moonraker during the time he attempted to get the role. However, he didn’t let go of his love for 007 as the opening sequence of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom appears quite similar to that of a James Bond movie. Moreover, he did cast Sean Connery as Henry Jones Sr. in The Last Crusade.
Broccoli’s rejection could be taken in many ways. It might have given something completely different to the 007 franchise, or it might have ruined its originality. However, his rejection in a way made Indiana Jones possible, which eventually became one of the most popular franchises of all time.
