“I would consider us friends”: Rejecting Steven Spielberg Wasn’t the Only Egregious Mistake James Bond Franchise Did That Barbara Broccoli Finally Undid Years Later

The James Bond franchise has grown stupendously well, bringing in several impeccable actors, characters, directors, artists, and more. From its inception to now, the franchise has collected a range of talent yet it did once famously reject one of Hollywood’s GOAT, Steven Spielberg. However, that is not the only mistake the franchise made, for it failed to bring in one musical genius for a long, long time.

The mind behind some of the greatest soundtracks of all time, Hans Zimmer surprisingly never made it to the James Bond movies, until No Time To Die. If it hadn’t been for Barbara Broccoli, he might never have been given the opportunity.

Hans Zimmer Made It to the James Bond Franchise Only Because of Barbara Broccoli

Hans Zimmer is one of the most celebrated music composers and music producers of all time. Whether it is the Pirates of The Caribbean movies or Gladiator or The Lion King, Zimmer has given the world some of the finest musical scores, so much so that they have gone on to have a legacy of their own.

Despite his fame, acclaim, and talent, it is shocking that it took the James Bond franchise so much time to finally rope him in. If it hadn’t been for Barbara Broccoli, the producer behind the spy movies, Zimmer might have never lent his talents to No Time To Die.

In an interview with GQ, the Oscar-winning composer himself revealed how such a feat became possible after all this time.

I’ve known Barbara [Broccoli, the long-time producer behind Bond] for a long time, socially. I would consider us friends. And no, she hasn’t ever asked me before.

Fortunately, Broccoli finally did ask him and he eventually ended up collaborating with Billie Eilish as well to help her make the Grammy-winning song of the same name, No Time To Die. As the James Bond franchise continues its search for the next Bond, we hope Zimmer gets to work with the franchise once again.

When Steven Spielberg Wanted to Make a James Bond Film

Steven Spielberg is one of the most acclaimed filmmakers of all time. From Jaws to Jurassic Park, the director has worked tirelessly to give the audience some of the best blockbusters of all time. A talented filmmaker with a brilliant vision and a penchant for perfectionism, it is shocking to imagine that he was once rejected by the James Bond franchise.

Right after his first blockbuster, Jaws, the filmmaker hit the producers of the spy movies for an offer, yet was rejected, not once but twice! In an appearance on BBC Radio (via The Independent) Spielberg narrated his ordeal,

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… Then, even after Close Encounters came out and was a big hit – once again – I tried to get on a Bond film.

An impeccable filmmaker with extraordinary talent to helm any genre and any film, he revealed in another interview with The Hollywood Reporter that Cubby Broccoli felt he was too inexperienced to helm such a film.

As the James Bond franchise moves forward, we hope it keeps collaborating with exceptional artists and filmmakers, building on its history while embracing new things, instead of ignoring or delaying some talents.

No Time To Die can be rented on Amazon Prime.