Steven Spielberg has revealed that his earliest career ambition was not to become a general Hollywood director but specifically to helm a James Bond film, a dream that never came true. Speaking to JJ Abrams for Entertainment Weekly, Spielberg explained that when he was starting out as a television director, his hope was that producer Cubby Broccoli would notice his work and invite him to direct the next 007 instalment, but the opportunity never materialised, even as his career skyrocketed.

Instead of Bond, Spielberg's breakthrough came through films such as The Sugarland Express in 1974 and Jaws in 1975, which launched him into becoming one of the most successful directors in history, later delivering hits including Raiders of the Lost Ark and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Reflecting wryly on the situation, Spielberg said he could never persuade Broccoli to hire him, and now, ironically, he believes the Bond franchise could no longer afford his services given his stature and box-office price tag.