Steven Soderbergh Almost Directed A James Bond Movie: "We Were At Odds About Some Things That Were Important"

Steven Soderbergh has admitted "important" creative differences stopped him directing a James Bond movie.

The Ocean's trilogy filmmaker was once in talks with Eon Productions boss Barbara Broccoli — who oversees the 007 franchise — about being at the helm of a Bond blockbuster.

Asked about the discussions, he told the Happy Sad Confused podcast: "Absolutely, I love that world. We were at odds about some things that were important.

"We had some great conversations. It was fun to think about, but we just couldn’t... the last 10 yards were, we just couldn’t do it, we couldn’t figure it out."

However, Soderbergh would instead incorporate some of his 007 ideas into his other films, including 2011 action thriller Haywire, which starred Gina Carano as black ops operative Mallory Kane after she gets betrayed by her employers and targeted for assassination.

He added: "Aspects of it have shown up elsewhere. I would say, there are things in Haywire, in terms of its approach to the character, and it’s not a big movie, but there’s a little bit of activity in it.

"That’s a hint of the kind of attitude I was looking for."

He said: "I hope they're able to figure out the release of the new one."

Early this month, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences tapped Soderbergh, Jesse Collins and Stacey Sher to produce the 93rd Annual Academy Awards, which has been pushed back from its usual February date to April 25 by the COVID-19 pandemic.

No Time in Die opens in Singapore cinemas on Apr 1, 2021.

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