# In 1976, James Caan turned down the lead role in a $300 million hit. When he saw it, he called it “a movie I hate”

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-1976-james-caan-turned-down-the-lead-role-in-a-300-million-hit-when-he-saw-it-he-called-it-a-movie-i-hate/
- Published: 2026-10-31T19:22:04+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-31T20:23:49+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/james-caan-turned-down-300-million-hit-a-movie-i-hate/
- Topics: Business, Entertainment, Film, Markets

## Key points

- Caan rejected the lead in Spielberg’s *Close Encounters*.
- He called it “a great light show”.
- Richard Dreyfuss took the role and the film became a major hit.

## Summary

James Caan turned down the lead role in Steven Spielberg’s *Close Encounters of the Third Kind*, later describing the film as “a great light show”. His rejection reflected his dislike of effects-led films in which spectacle mattered more than believable characters.

Caan was among several actors, including Steve McQueen, Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman, who declined the role of Roy Neary; Spielberg eventually cast Richard Dreyfuss, his *Jaws* star. The article says the film became a $300 million hit and places Caan’s decision among many major roles he passed up, including Han Solo and parts in *The French Connection* and *Apocalypse Now*.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.