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Renowned filmmaker Steven Spielberg almost worked with Steve McQueen in the past, but it seemed like the opportunity was elusive and ultimately never happened. In fact, they had many chances to team up with each other and it seemed inevitable given their status in Hollywood, but unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be.
There were two known instances where the director and the late actor almost had one of the biggest collaborations in the industry, and at one point, it made Spielberg feel upset about those missed chances.
Steven Spielberg regrets not directingCalifornia Split
In 1971, actor Joseph Walsh andSteven Spielbergworked on a screenplay calledSlidewhich tackled the former’s gambling addiction. They toiled and polished the script for eight months, and when it was ready, they headed to the MGM Studios.
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The duo wantedSteve McQueento lead the film, but the studio boss had a lot of unrealistic demands—from changing the title toLucky Chipto castingDean Martinfor the main character—so they went to Universal Pictures and made an agreement. Surprisingly, the studio hired Spielberg to helmThe Sugarland Express, which he couldn’t decline. In the end, he dropped fromSlideand letRobert Altmantake the reins.
After all the trouble, the 1974 comedy-drama movie was later renamedCalifornia Splitwith Elliott Gould and George Segal as the main stars. In a conversation with Kim Morgan viaLos Angeles Review of Books, Walsh revealed he spoke with Spielberg about their unrealized project a few years after the latter moved away from it to work on another film.
I had lunch with Steven later, and he said, “Let’s talk about California Split” two and a half years after not doing it, right? And I said, “Okay.” He says, “You know, I would have definitely made more money with this film. But I could never have made a better picture.”
California Splitgrossed around $5 million in movie rentals and$10 millionin domestic box office, whileThe Sugarland Expressmade$7 millionin US box office sales and $5 million overseas, making it Spielberg’s lowest-grossing film in his entire career. More than this, he also lost the prospect of working with McQueen.
Steven Spielberg missed the chance to work with Steve McQueen again
Spielberg would have another shot at trying his luck to work with McQueen in 1977’sClose Encounters of the Third Kind. The actor was impressed with the script, and they got along pretty well. The only problem was that the late star could not cry on cue. The filmmaker said he could revise the script but McQueen suggested he should keep it as it is one of the most heartfelt scenes in the story.
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They agreed that they would still find another opportunity for collaboration, but McQueen died in 1980, and the future team-up never happened.
California Splitis currently available to watch on Apple TV.
Ariane Cruz
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3532
Ariane Cruz is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 3,000 articles published. Her love for pop culture and the creative arts fuels her passion to deliver engaging and informative stories. Her daily consumption of films, shows, and books keeps her energized for the day, along with her mission to serve as the bridge between fans and their favorite franchises.
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Steve McQueenSteven Spielberg
