Sorry Carl’s Jr. Lovers, Steven Spielberg Has Destroyed Your ‘SpielBurgers’ Dreams
Steven Spielberg has finally put to rest a days-long debate regarding his name and a certain charbroiled burger. The fast food chain Carl’s Jr. announced on Twitter last weekend that they would be renaming one of their burgers after Steven Spielberg, in honor of the premiere of Ready Player One. For anyone who was looking forward to ordering “two Spielburgers, please” from their nearest drive-thru, unfortunately, Spielberg is not into it.
"It has recently come to my attention that Carl’s Jr. wants to rename their charbroiled sliders 'SpielBurgers' and they’re pretty good, but I’m passing," Spielberg said in a video he posted on Twitter on Tuesday evening. "Cease and desist. You can’t do it — sorry, guys.”
Last Sunday, the official Carl’s Jr. Twitter account tweeted, perhaps jokingly, perhaps not, that they would be renaming their charbroiled sliders “Spielburgers” to tie in to the upcoming release of Ready Player One.
Warner Bros. retaliated, saying that they appreciated the gesture, but Spielberg’s name was worth at least their famous Thickburger.
Carl’s Jr. persisted, asking Warner Bros. for the director’s contact info so they could ask him themselves and, according to The Hollywood Reporter, sending an emissary to Amblin Entertainment’s headquarters with a plate of the sliders. They were exiled from the property, but not before they left a note on Spielberg’s car asking to talk.
As the Rolling Stones once said, you can’t always get what you want, and the Spielburgers have officially been shot down. But before you weep for Carl’s Jr., remember that the chain does have a promotional partnership with Ready Player One, so there’s a chance that everyone is in on it. Carl’s Jr. themselves are taking the rejection in stride.
Ready Player One hits theaters March 29.