Steven Spielberg offered to direct a Bond film

Steven Spielberg is considered to be one of, if not, the best filmmaker of his generation, with the Indiana Jones trilogy, E.T. , Jaws , Saving Private Ryan and more under his belt, yet it seems there was one that got away.

During the press tour for his latest film, Lincoln , Spielberg admitted he had been snubbed for Bond back in the '70s.

"I went to Cubby Broccoli and I asked if I could do one and he said: 'No'." Clearly, this knock didn't Spielberg's career but it does raise a mouthwatering 'What if?'

When pressed further, he added: "I’ve never asked again. Instead, I made the Indiana Jones series." So, it's not all bad that he missed his chance to direct 007. Every cloud has its silver lining, we suppose…

Last year during an Entertainment Weekly Q & A for Super 8 (courtesy of Indie Wire ), Spielberg explained further why he would not direct the MI6 super spy. "When I started out as a TV director, my pie-in-the-sky dream was to make a little movie that would get some notoriety, and then [ the late Bond series producer ] Cubby Broccoli would call me and ask me to direct the next James Bond picture," he said. "But I could never get Cubby Broccoli to hire me - and now, sadly, they can’t afford me."

However, Spielberg still remains a fan of the franchise and admitted Sam Mendes had done a great job with the latest 007 adventure, Skyfall . "I've seen it once and I'll see it a second time," he said.