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After rising to prominence through the success ofJaws, 1981 witnessed arguably the best work of Steven Spielberg to date,Raiders of the Lost Ark,which made millions fall in love with the medium. And among these millions, one name was Hugh Jackman, who went on to deem the adventure action as one of the biggest game changers for him.
But surprisingly, the iconic film, which is often considered one of the greatest films ever made, wouldn’t have seen the light of day if Spielberg wasn’t rejected from adapting the iconic British Spy.
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Rejection Resulted in Steven Spielberg Crafting the Film That Inspired Hugh Jackman
Being an avid fan of James Bond since his younger days,Steven Spielbergdidn’t waste time contacting the Bond producers to adapt the material after hisJawsbecame a huge success. Unfortunately, Albert R. Broccoli wasn’t on board with the idea of the director bringing his own vision to the table, ending up putting the kibosh on theJawsdirector’s plans.
But this didn’t stop Spielberg from delivering another blockbuster, crafting an original adventure hero, Indiana Jones, which had an immense impact on a youngHugh Jackman. Recounting his experience of watchingRaiders of the Lost Arkfor the first time, Jackman recalled,
“It’s another game changer for me. I saw it when I was 12, I think. 11 or 12,”he said toRotten Tomatoes.“I just remember saying to my brother, ‘I didn’t know movies could make me feel like this.’ So it transported me. I believed in it.”
While Spielberg did end up making one of the finest pieces of media, on the flip side,For Your Eyes Only, which debuted the same year asRaiders of the Lost Ark, failed to leave an impact.
Also read:“I pretty much take no for an answer”: Steven Spielberg Has Never Pushed Any Actor Too Hard For a Role Except One Oscar Winner
The Producers Can No Longer Afford Steven Spielberg
Although Steven Spielberg has grown quite persistent in hearing rejections in his decades-long career, the director did once again reach out to Broccoli before moving on withRaiders of the Lost Ark. AfterClose Encounters of the Third Kind‘s big success, theIndiana Jonesdirector once again offered to take the wheels of aJames Bondfilm. But to the director’s dismay, he was once again renounced to adapt the material, which didn’t end up going the producers’ way, as in recent times, they’re no longer able to afford the Oscar-winner.
“Then even after Close Encounters came out and was a big hit – once again – I tried to get on a Bond film. And they still didn’t think I was right for the part. Twice I tried to get on a Bond film and now they can’t afford me. So Barbara Broccoli, forget it,”Spielberg toldThe Independent.
Also read:“I wanted to be the tallest person in the room”: Steven Spielberg Went Through Nightmare Casting Process For Daniel Day-Lewis Movie That Won 12 Oscars Nominations
Interestingly, Hugh Jackman was once one of the favorites to land the role of 007 but refused the offer as he wasn’t too keen on playing a single role, as his hands were already full with Wolverine.
Raiders of the Lost Arkis available to stream on Disney Plus.
Source:Rotten Tomatoes.
Santanu Roy
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2539
Santanu Roy is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on movies, with over 2,000 articles under his belt. He has been pursuing a degree in Animation and possesses a deep love for the medium of animation. Having spent the better part of the last two years pumping out articles for FW, Santanu excels at covering movie analysis and news surrounding Pixar, DCU, DreamWorks, and Batman’s cinematic legacy.With psychological thrillers and intimate slice-of-life dramas ranking among his favorite genres, Santanu is a big admirer of Luca Guadagnino, Shane Black, Park Chan-wook, and Brad Bird.
