The Academy Award-winning director Steven Spielberg, despite having numerous acclaimed projects under his belt, regrets missing out on a few opportunities over potential projects. After expressing his love for the HBO series Mare of Easttown, featuring Kate Winslet, Spielberg admitted regretting the lost opportunity to direct the masterpiece. 

Steven Spielberg

However, the 2021 show isn’t the only project on his list that he regrets losing. Apparently, Steven Spielberg still holds a grudge over his lost opportunity to direct Tom Hanks’ controversial 1993 movie, Philadelphia. Despite directing a number of Hanks’ films, the director still appears to be stuck with his $206M lost directorial chance.

Steven Spielberg Regrets Not Directing Kate Winslet’s HBO Show 

After acquiring his fame from directing critically acclaimed movies, Steven Spielberg revealed his desire to direct a limited series and make his TV debut. Thus, he tapped into Kate Winslet‘s Emmy-winning show, Mare of Easttown. The filmmaker thus admitted how he had hoped to make his TV debut with the HBO show in 2021.

Spielberg wanted to direct Kate Winslet’s show

“I do have an appetite for long-form, and someday, I will direct a long-form series. I mean, if someone would have brought me ‘Mare of Easttown,’ I would have done that. That was a beautifully directed story.”

Discussing with Jason Bateman during a podcast, Steven Spielberg revealed how he would have appreciated the opportunity to direct the HBO series. Having experience in directing thrillers, the director would have certainly served justice to the detective mystery series starring Kate Winslet. However, he missed his opportunity.

Mare of Easttown

Since Spielberg never directed anything on TV, he desperately wanted to try his hands on Mare of Easttown. But, unfortunately, the offer went to Craig Zobel. Previously, although Steven Spielberg has never directed TV shows, he did create and produce the limited series Band of Brothers, featuring Tom Hanks.

Steven Spielberg Wanted To Direct Tom Hanks’ Controversial Film

Speaking of Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, the iconic duo offered several great cinematic experiences to the audience. The dream duo of modern American cinema thus scream “must-watch” whenever they team up for a project. And evidently, most of the films that they have done together turned out to be legitimately great.

Spielberg and Tom Hanks

Collaborating in nearly nine projects since 1986, Spielberg still holds a grudge over losing a $206M opportunity featuring Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington. Recalling the controversial 1993 movie, Philadelphia, the acclaimed filmmaker mentioned how he would’ve loved to direct the movie after he was asked about a project he wished he had worked on.

“I have to say Philadelphia. Because I knew Tom really well when he was making Philadelphia. Really well. And I was making Schindler’s List at the same time.”

Steven Spielberg regrets his lost chance to direct Philadelphia

Despite the controversy surrounding Tom Hanks‘ portrayal of a gay man, Spielberg revealed regretting his missed opportunity to direct Philadelphia, because of another phenomenal project. However, he later hailed the actor for his captivating performance, stating, “I went to see Philadelphia and forgot that I even knew this man.”

“I knew the actor and then discovered that I didn’t know the character. The knowing of the actor didn’t knock down the fourth wall.”

Although people rightly criticized the casting of a straight man in the role of a homosexual, the movie turned into a blockbuster because of the sheer performance delivered by the legends, Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington.

Stream Philadelphia on Starz.