Emily Blunt left stunned as Spielberg reveals Harrison Ford’s unexpected Jurassic Park connection

Here is a fun what-if for your movie- brain: Steven Spielberg just said Harrison Ford was his first pick to play Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park. Yep, Indiana Jones almost traded the fedora for a raptor claw.

How the reveal came out

Spielberg dropped it during a chat with Josh Horowitz, with his Disclosure Day stars Emily Blunt and Josh O'Connor flanking him. Horowitz asked if Ford had turned down Jurassic Park. Spielberg confirmed it, and Blunt visibly did a double take. O'Connor looked just as stunned.

Blunt asked if Spielberg was mad about it. His answer was pure gut punch:

"I wasn't crossed. I was crushed."

Ford as Alan Grant: how close did it get?

Very. Spielberg said Ford was his top choice for Grant, and he went all-in on the pitch. In a previous Entertainment Weekly interview, Spielberg explained that he sent Ford the script, Michael Crichton’s novel, and even a photorealistic painting of a T. rex chasing the archaeologist character — with Ford’s face on it — alongside two kids. The next day, Ford called back and passed.

"This is not for me, pal."
"That was the end of the conversation," Spielberg said.

Why did Ford say no? Still unclear. What we do know: Sam Neill stepped in and made the role his own. Spielberg praised Neill’s performance, and O'Connor chimed in that it is tough to picture anyone else as Grant. Hard to argue with that.

• Spielberg’s first choice for Dr. Alan Grant: Harrison Ford
• Emily Blunt and Josh O'Connor were in the room when Spielberg confirmed Ford turned it down
• Spielberg on his reaction: "I wasn't crossed. I was crushed."
• Spielberg’s pitch to Ford included the script, the novel, and a T. rex chase painting with Ford’s face and two kids
• Ford’s reply: "This is not for me, pal." End of story
• Sam Neill ultimately took the role; Spielberg praised him, and O'Connor said it is hard to imagine anyone else

And while we’re on near-misses: Spielberg and Bond

Same conversation, different franchise. Spielberg said he tried twice to land a James Bond movie — once after Jaws, then again after Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Both times he was turned down. When Blunt asked why, Spielberg said he was told the producers already had their go-to filmmakers: "We have our own stable of directors we go to."

Given Spielberg’s adventure track record, imagining his take on 007 is a trip. But hey, things worked out: no Bond gig, and he still became, you know, Steven Spielberg.