The James Bond movies have, throughout their production, been many things, including one of the film franchises with the longest run time in the history of cinema, box office behemoths that have frequently topped all-time money-making films rankings, as well as textbook examples of how to produce timeless action movies.
As you’ll see when you look at this list of James Bond films sorted from worst to best, there have been a lot of highs and lows along the way. Since the first film in the series, Dr. No was released in 1962, a total of six different actors have taken on the role of M16 agent 007, beginning with Sean Connery. Although some have performed better than others in fan appeal and onscreen presence, each actor has delivered performances in the two dozen or more movies that convey the charisma and resourcefulness of their role.
Along the way, James Bond has faced deranged individuals who were intent on taking over the world, faced a steel-mouthed henchman in space, and hooked up with stunning women whose names include Pussy Galore and Holly Goodhead. In the name of his nation, he has explored the depths of the ocean, climbed to the peaks of some of the world’s tallest mountains, and vacationed in some of the most luxurious parts of the world.
As you’ll see in the following list, which ranks the James Bond movies in order.
(One thing to keep in mind is that the two other 007 movies that have been made since the release of Dr. No are included in this list, despite the fact that they are not considered to be entries in the official series overseen by Eon Productions. These movies are the 1967 parody Casino Royale and the 1983 film Never Say Never Again, which featured the return of Sean Connery in the role of James Bond for the first time in a decade.)
Watching the James Bond Movies In Sequence by Release Date
How many James Bond movies are there? Officially, the list of James Bond movies include a total 25 James Bond movie order, however, we have also included Never Say Never Again that was produced beyond the main MGM/UA series.)
If you’re planning to watch the 007 movies in order instead of chronologically by actor, we have got you covered:
- Dr. No (1962)
- From Russia with Love (1963)
- Goldfinger (1964)
- Thunderball (1965)
- You Only Live Twice (1967)
- On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)
- Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
- Live and Let Die (1973)
- The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
- The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
- Moonraker (1979)
- For Your Eyes Only (1981)
- Octopussy (1983)
- Never Say Never Again (1983)
- A View to a Kill (1985)
- The Living Daylights (1987)
- License to Kill (1989)
- Goldeneye (1995)
- Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
- The World is Not Enough (1999)
- Die Another Day (2002)
- Casino Royale (2006)
- Quantum of Solace (2008)
- Skyfall (2012)
- Spectre (2015)
- No Time to Die (2021)
1. Dr. No (1962)
- Director: Terence Young
- Language: English
- Genre: Action, Adventure, and Thriller
Main Cast:
- Sean Connery
- Ursula Andress
- Joseph Wiseman
- Jack Lord
- IMDb Rating: 7.2
- Running Time: 109 minutes
- Box Office: $16,079,357
The first James Bond movie, the one who kicked everything off. Sean Connery’s lead performance as James Bond in Dr. No, in which he has his first confrontation with the criminal organization SPECTRE, makes up for the film’s lack of grandeur and scale, which would go on to become defining characteristics of the franchise. Connery’s performance is both incredibly charming and dangerous.
Sean Connery was the first actor to play the part. Because of the effortless portrayal he gave as the slick and intelligent secret agent, he will forever be associated with the position. Honey Ryder’s (Ursula Andreas) unforgettable walk out of the water clad in a white bikini is another moment that cemented the film’s place in cinematic annals and helped make it a classic.
Although the third movie, “Goldfinger,” would be an excellent example of all of the necessary components, it all begins with this one—a magnificent starting point.
2. From Russia with Love (1963)
- Director: Terence Young
- Language: English
- Genre: Action, Adventure, and Thriller
Main Cast:
- Sean Connery
- Pedro Armendáriz
- Lotte Lenya
- Robert Shaw
- IMDb Rating: 7.4
- Running Time: 115 minutes
- Box Office: $24,808,767
The second James Bond film starring Sean Connery is a thrilling (though complex) Cold War thriller that provides the spy with further gadgets that would go on to become a fixture of the franchise while also building more on the basic tenements Ian Fleming placed in the character.
Bond’s violent and chaotic train confrontation with Russian operative Red Grant (played by Robert Shaw), which still ranks high on that list, took place during Connery’s stint on the series, which is likely responsible for most of the series’ most famous events. (The film SPECTRE would attempt to pay tribute to it in a scene that pitted villain Dave Bautista against James Bond himself, Daniel Craig, aboard a moving train.)
A larger budget allowed for the exploration of additional locations, which eventually became a defining characteristic of the series. As did the actor Desmond Llewelyn, who reprised the role of Q 16 more times before passing away in 1999. The following motion picture would end up being a classic.
3. Goldfinger (1964)
- Director: Guy Hamilton
- Language: English
- Genre: Action, Adventure, and Thriller
Main Cast:
- Sean Connery
- Honor Blackman
- Gert Fröbe
- Shirley Eaton
- IMDb Rating: 7.7
- Running Time: 110 minutes
- Box Office: $51,163,593
In the order of James Bond movies, the 3rd James Bond film is the one in which the series finally finds its stride and solidifies its place in film history. There are other factors that contributed to the ongoing popularity of the 007 films, including Shirley Bassey’s rendition of the series’ recognizable theme song, Honor Blackman’s performance as a Bond Girl with the provocatively called “Pussy Galore,” and an abundance of inventive devices that aid James Bond in his escapades.
“Goldfinger” is the epitome of the genre of espionage flicks and action films in general because it is lean, exciting, and humorous while avoiding the smugness that succeeding entries in the series were mired in.
The Aston Martin, the extravagant pre-titles action sequence, the jaw-dropping Bond Girls, and the continually-monologuing Bond villains combine to form a slightly bloated but immensely entertaining movie that still holds up today. The blueprint of the franchise is established here.
4. Thunderball (1965)
- Director: Terence Young
- Language: English
- Genre: Action, Adventure, and Thriller
Main Cast:
- Sean Connery
- Claudine Auger
- Adolfo Celi
- Luciana Paluzzi
- IMDb Rating: 6.8
- Running Time: 130 minutes
- Box Office: $63,595,701
After James Bond takes off in his jet pack, you can easily skip the next forty minutes without missing anything significant in the story. Despite having a drawn-out script and a simplistic storyline, Thunderball is still considered a timeless classic.
Its overlong but epic battle underwater makes it one of the best action sequences in cinema history, yet the film as a whole struggles to be something beyond pure-polished eye candy because of its confusion of greater with better and its emphasis on scale. It develops the model laid down by the film that came before it, Goldfinger.
It capitalizes on that film’s remarkable popularity by allowing Connery to do what he is known for doing best, which is acting swagger, delivering one-liners, and fighting bad guys.
5. You Only Live Twice (1967)
- Director: Lewis Gilbert
- Language: English, Japanese, and Russian
- Genre: Action, Adventure, and Thriller
Main Cast:
- Sean Connery
- Akiko Wakabayashi
- Mie Hama
- IMDb Rating: 6.8
- Running Time: 117 minutes
- Box Office: $43,086,122
How the Bond franchise was able to get away with the whitewashing depicted in this scene, in which Connery’s 007 was made to look Japanese, is undoubtedly one of the worst decisions the franchise has ever made.
In spite of the troublesome plot element and its slow-burn storyline involving Blofeld (played by Donald Pleasence) and a gigantic spacecraft that can swallow up smaller ships that threaten to light the fuse on WWIII, fans have a high appreciation for the film You Only Live Twice. (The setting of the story would be changed from space to a ship on the ocean in the movie The Spy Who Loved Me.)
Ken Adams’s iconic hollowed-out volcano lair set is the genuine MVP of the production, which finally provides a face to Connery’s long-time adversary. It wouldn’t have been possible to make the Austin Powers movies if it weren’t for You Only Live Twice.
6. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)
- Director: Peter R. Hunt
- Language: English
- Genre: Action, Adventure, and Thriller
Main Cast:
- George Lazenby
- Diana Rigg
- Telly Savalas
- Bernard Lee
- IMDb Rating: 6.8
- Running Time: 142 minutes
- Box Office: $22,787,885
Bond editor-turned-director Peter Hunt brings a Bond movie in contrast to any other, as On Her Majesty’s Secret Service tries to move on from Sean Connery’s landmark tenure as well as prove that the Bond franchise is more than whoever puts on the iconic tux and Walther PPK. However, the latter proved less than true as one-and-done George Lazenby, a model who changed out in the role, did not manage to resonate with audiences as Connery did.
Fans were under the impression that OHMSS was a disappointment despite the fact that the film was neither a box office bomb nor a massive hit when it was released. The years, however, have been kind to the picture and its brutal, staccato action scenes as well as its romantic plotline involving Bond falling in love and even getting married, only to have Blofeld (Telly Savalas) kill his bride on the day of their wedding. This would be the sole occasion that we got to witness Bond crying until Casino Royale, which was released in 2006.
7. Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
- Director: Guy Hamilton
- Language: English
- Genre: Action, Adventure, and Thriller
Main Cast:
- Sean Connery
- Jill St. John
- Charles Gray
- Lana Wood
- IMDb Rating: 6.6
- Running Time: 120 minutes
- Box Office: $43,821,550
After George Lazenby’s one-and-done box office fiasco, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, the Bond filmmakers were in desperate need of a hit, so they lured Sean Connery to come out of retirement for his final “official” Bond movie. Her Majesty’s Secret Service was a box office failure, and it was George Lazenby’s last appearance as James Bond. Unfortunately, Diamonds Are Forever demonstrates that he should have remained in retirement.
Diamonds is a clumsy, plot-heavy money grab for Connery that is campy and exaggerated to the point that, at times, it can be insulting. This is notably true in its portrayal of the assassins Mr. Kidd (played by Putter Smith) and Mr. Wint (Bruce Glover), who are presented in an off-tone manner.
In an apparent effort to press the reset button and reintroduce moviegoers to the Bond they were familiar with and loved, the movie barely touches on the death of Bond’s wife from the previous installment, with the exception of the low-fi action sequence that occurs before the opening credits. The effort is an embarrassing stain on the series, and the only redeeming feature is Connery’s terrible combat with a villain in a confined space, which took place in an elevator.
8. Live and Let Die (1973)
- Director: Guy Hamilton
- Language: English
- Genre: Action, Adventure, and Thriller
Main Cast:
- Roger Moore
- Yaphet Kotto
- Jane Seymour
- IMDb Rating: 6.7
- Running Time: 121 minutes
- Box Office: $35,382,710
The first Bond film starring Roger Moore is widely considered to be one of the series’ weakest entries. It’s a tone-deaf jumble that tries to be a James Bond movie and a kind of “blaxploitation” action thriller, replete with a redneck sheriff following Bond through Louisiana. Still, it doesn’t succeed at either of those things. It’s a tone-deaf muddle.
The voodoo-centered plot, which begins with a funeral in New Orleans and brings Bond to Harlem, is riddled with racist innuendos at every turn. The only notable performances are those of Jane Seymour as Bond’s love interest and Yaphet Koto as the primary antagonist. The title song, performed by Paul McCartney featuring Wings, is a timeless classic.
9. The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
- Director: Lewis Gilbert
- Language: English
- Genre: Action, Adventure, and Thriller
Main Cast:
- Roger Moore
- Barbara Bach
- Curt Jürgens
- Richard Kiel
- IMDb Rating: 6.7
- Running Time: 125 minutes
- Box Office: $20,972,000
The climatic battle and dramatic firefight between the villain Scaramanga (played by Christopher Lee) and Roger Moore’s Bond almost makes it worth it to sit through this inconsistent and clichéd Bond movie.
In Moore’s second Bond movie, the superspy finds himself in the clutches of the titular hitman, Scaramanga, as he races across Hong Kong and then Macau to prevent Scaramanga from deploying a solar-powered laser to commit terrible deeds.
The use of a sliding whistle (facepalm) reduces the effect of its most famous stunt, which involves a sports automobile performing a barrel roll while jumping over a chasm. And don’t even get us started on the mind-boggling reappearance of Live and Let Die’s cliched Louisiana sheriff, J.W., because that would be a mistake. Pepper.
10. The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
- Director: Lewis Gilbert
- Language: English
- Genre: Action, Adventure, and Thriller
Main Cast:
- Roger Moore
- Barbara Bach
- Curt Jürgens
- Richard Kiel
- IMDb Rating: 7.1
- Running Time: 125 minutes
- Box Office: $46,839,104
The climatic battle and dramatic firefight between the villain Scaramanga (played by Christopher Lee) and Roger Moore’s Bond almost makes it worth it to sit through this inconsistent and clichéd Bond movie.
In Moore’s second Bond movie, the superspy finds himself in the clutches of the titular hitman, Scaramanga, as he races across Hong Kong and then Macau to prevent Scaramanga from deploying a solar-powered laser to commit terrible deeds.
The use of a sliding whistle (facepalm) reduces the effect of its most famous stunt, which involves a sports automobile performing a barrel roll while jumping over a chasm. And don’t even get us started on the mind-boggling reappearance of Live and Let Die’s cliched Louisiana sheriff, J.W., because that would be a mistake. Pepper.
11. Moonraker (1979)
- Director: Lewis Gilbert
- Language: English
- Genre: Action, Adventure, and Thriller
Main Cast:
- Roger Moore
- Lois Chiles
- Michael Lonsdale
- Richard Kiel
- IMDb Rating: 6.3
- Running Time: 126 minutes
- Box Office: $210,308,099
The Spy Who Loved Me accomplished for Roger Moore what Goldfinger did for Sean Connery: It established his Bond as the Bond for moviegoers of this age. Connery’s Bond had already been established as the definitive Bond. Right from the start of the recognizable ski jump opening sequence, Moore unequivocally demonstrated that the franchise is capable of thriving despite the frequent switching of actors who play the major part.
As James Bond battles a villain who is obsessed with the oceans and wants to turn the Earth into his personal Atlantis — with the assistance of two nuclear submarines he has stolen — Moore strikes the right balance between his sense of comedy that involves taking two steps back and Bond’s methods of being a lethal agent. It may be said that Barbara Bach’s Triple X is the Russian version of James Bond’s 007, often outperforming the cocky secret agent while they embark on a globe-trotting assignment full of ingenious action scenes (like a car that transforms into a submarine for reference) and magnificent settings, all owing to Ken Adams’ production design.
12. For Your Eyes Only (1981)
- Director: John Glen
- Language: English
- Genre: Action, Adventure, and Thriller
Main Cast:
- Roger Moore
- Carole Bouquet
- Chaim Topol
- Lynn-Holly Johnson
- IMDb Rating: 6.7
- Running Time: 127 minutes
- Box Office: $54,813,222
Moonraker boasts one of the best pre-title sequences for a James Bond film. It begins with Bond being tossed out of a plane without a parachute while the villain Jaws, played by Richard Kiel, skydives after him. This comes after we witnessed a space shuttle being snatched while it was in flight off the rear of a 747.
Moonraker, which capitalizes on the excitement surrounding Star Wars at the time, places James Bond in space and pits him against Drax, played by Michael Lonsdale, the Bond villain version of being in a coma. From there, things go predominantly worse. The special effects in the third act, which takes place when Bond travels to the Final Frontier, are impressive (even if they are a bit corny), and the title song, which Bond veteran Shirley Bassey performed, is severely undervalued.
13. Octopussy (1983)
- Director: John Glen
- Language: English
- Genre: Action, Adventure, and Thriller
Main Cast:
- Roger Moore
- Maud Adams
- Louis Jourdan
- Kristina Wayborn
- IMDb Rating: 6.5
- Running Time: 131 minutes
- Box Office: $67,893,619
Often referred to as “The One With the Circus.”
After the enthralling opening sequence in which 007 pilots a micro-jet through an airplane hangar while attempting to avoid a missile, Octopussy appeared to have the potential to be an excellent farewell performance for Moore’s portrayal of James Bond.
Instead, the finished product is an inconsistent and complex blockbuster with a villain fans love to hate ( played by Richard Jordan) along with Maud Adams (The Man With the Golden Gun) becoming the first “Bond Girl” to appear in a couple of Bond movies but in distinct roles in each of those movies.
Don’t even get us going about the time 007 had to practically dress up as a clown in order to diffuse a bomb that was planted inside a circus tent. Both the musical soundtrack, composed by John Barry, and the practical stunts, including James Bond’s duel atop a speeding train, are outstanding in this installment of the series.
14. Never Say Never Again (1983)
- Director: Irvin Kershner
- Language: English
- Genre: Action, Adventure, and Thriller
Main Cast:
- Sean Connery
- Klaus Maria Brandauer
- Max von Sydow
- Barbara Carrera
- IMDb Rating: 6.1
- Running Time: 134 minutes
- Box Office: $55,432,841
Never Say Never Again is not part of the core 007 series and is, in reality, a remake of 1965’s “Thunderball.” Sean Connery certainly shouldn’t have bothered returning to the role of James Bond more than a decade after he felt he had said goodbye to the character in “Diamonds Are Forever.”
In spite of the excitement that was generated by Connery’s return performance, the film comes off as stilted and disjointed from the essential qualities of the character. In the same year, the film ‘Octopussy,’ which was produced by Bond’s regular team, was released.
Note: (Remember, Never Say Never Again enthusiasts — that Warner Bros. movie was produced outside the main MGM/UA series. Hence it is not officially counted as a James Bond movie.) Keep in mind: (Never Say Never Again fans — that Warner Bros. movie was produced beyond the main MGM/UA series.)
15. A View to a Kill (1985)
- Director: John Glen
- Language: English
- Genre: Action, Adventure, and Thriller
Main Cast:
- Roger Moore
- Tanya Roberts
- Grace Jones
- Patrick Macnee
- IMDb Rating: 6.3
- Running Time: 131 minutes
- Box Office: $50,327,960
Never Say Never Again is not part of the core 007 series and is, in reality, a remake of 1965’s “Thunderball.” Sean Connery certainly shouldn’t have bothered returning to the role of James Bond more than a decade after he felt he had said goodbye to the character in “Diamonds Are Forever.” In spite of the excitement that was generated by Connery’s return performance, the film comes off as stilted and disjointed from the essential qualities of the character. In the same year, the film ‘Octopussy,’ which was produced by Bond’s regular team, was released.
Note: (Remember, Never Say Never Again enthusiasts — that Warner Bros. movie was produced outside the main MGM/UA series. Hence it is not officially counted as a James Bond movie.) Keep in mind: (Never Say Never Again fans — that Warner Bros. movie was produced beyond the main MGM/UA series.)
16. The Living Daylights (1987)
- Director: John Glen
- Language: English
- Genre: Action, Adventure, and Thriller
Main Cast:
- Timothy Dalton
- Maryam d’Abo
- Joe Don Baker
- Art Malik
- John Rhys-Davies
- IMDb Rating: 6.7
- Running Time: 130 minutes
- Box Office: $51,186,259
This awkward struggle that sets Bond against a former KGB officer turned psychotic tech magnate hellbent on flooding Silicon Valley was going to be Roger Moore’s last Bond movie. Still, it was intended to be For Your Eyes Only instead. For Your Eyes Only would have proved a more fitting career capper compared to this uneven slog.
Moore had dramatically aged over the two years since his last trip, and even the actor felt he was too old to be scrambling and gunning his way across another assignment. Moore was now 57 years old and had aged significantly in those two years.
Moore’s performance in the role, which is the one in which he seems to be “on autopilot” the most, sadly, conveys this awareness. The single highlight of Moore’s final movie is the fistfight he had with Bond villain: the Silicon Valley psychopath Max Zorin (played by Christopher Walken), which takes place atop the Golden Gate Bridge. The titular Duran Duran theme song is still a bop, by the way.
17. License to Kill (1989)
- Director: John Glen
- Language: English
- Genre: Action, Adventure, and Thriller
Main Cast:
- Timothy Dalton
- Carey Lowell
- Robert Davi
- Talisa Soto
- IMDb Rating: 6.7
- Running Time: 133 minutes
- Box Office: $156,167,015
It’s a shame that Dalton’s first Bond movie has such a poor reputation because it’s an exciting thriller with a lot of tension, allowing Bond to demonstrate his talents as a real-life detective. The Living Daylights was neither a great box office hit nor a critical failure.
Still, it did have the onerous duty of filling in for the most beloved Bond, Roger Moore, with his unique style of tongue-in-cheek antics. Despite this, the film was neither a hit with audiences nor with critics. Timothy Dalton was too sudden and sharp of a switch in terms of tone for fans who were hooked on Moore’s 007, and the box office reflected that fact.
Fans have given the picture and its outstanding stunt sequences (Bond battles a bad guy on a cargo net as he is dangling out of a plane!) the respect now, which they did not get back when the film was first released more than thirty years ago.
18. Goldeneye (1995)
- Director: Martin Campbell
- Language: English, Russian, and Spanish
- Genre: Action, Adventure, and Thriller
Main Cast:
- Pierce Brosnan
- Sean Bean
- Izabella Scorupco
- Famke Janssen
- IMDb Rating: 7.2
- Running Time: 130 minutes
- Box Office: $352,194,034
The release of License to Kill came 17 years too soon. When it was released in the crowded summer of 1989, which was home to four-quadrant blockbusters such as Indianan Jones, Batman, and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, moviegoers did not want a “dark and brooding” Bond who was out for revenge while taking on ripped-from-the-news drug kingpins.
Instead, they wanted a Bond who was more like the James Bond they knew and loved. They had already formed negative opinions of Timothy Dalton’s gloomy portrayal of James Bond, or License to Kill did nothing to change their minds.
When viewed in retrospect, though, it reveals a glimpse of the Daniel Craig Bond movies in order era, which viewers and fans have enthusiastically embraced. Dalton’s Bond in Kill is the then-most genuine take on the fictional spy from Ian Flemming’s novels.
The movie’s more grounded style of the action scenes nevertheless maintains some of that classic Bond flair — particularly when Bond water skis without footwear while dangling off a plane or takes part in a riveting tanker truck car chase, which is one of the series’ best third act finales. Both of these moments are among the best in the series third-act finales.
19. Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
- Director: Roger Spottiswoode
- Language: English and German
- Genre: Action, Adventure, and Thriller
Main Cast:
- Pierce Brosnan
- Jonathan Pryce
- Michelle Yeoh
- Teri Hatcher
- IMDb Rating: 6.5
- Running Time: 119 minutes
- Box Office: $333,011,068
Pierce Brosnan made his debut as James Bond in the blockbuster film Goldeneye. The film marked the return of 007 to the big screen after a hiatus of six years. The late Gene Siskel referred to Pierce Brosnan in the film as “Bond’s valet.”
The long wait paid off, as Brosnan was eventually given the opportunity to play Bond* bringing the character into the 1990s. His performance was a success. The “sexist, misogynist dinosaur” that M 9Judi Dench’s M measures him up to be, provides a meta-commentary on the character’s past as Goldeneye plans a new future that is not all martinis, girls, and weapons.
The plot, which involves 006 (played by Sean Bean) coming back from the dead to take a helicopter as well as an EMP-delivering satellite in space, is a shoulder-shrug. Still, Martin Campbell’s comfortable direction elevates it.
The movie is powered chiefly by great editing and Brosnan’s magnetism. It’s not a fantastic movie, but it’s a great time at the movies, and it’s easily the finest of the four movies that Brosnan has been in so far. (Fun fact: Brosnan was supposed to play James Bond in the 1986 film The Living Daylights, but he was prevented from doing so due to a last-minute contract renewal for his NBC sitcom, Remington Steele.
20. The World is Not Enough (1999)
- Director: Michael Apted
- Language: English
- Genre: Action, Adventure, and Thriller
Main Cast:
- Pierce Brosnan
- Sophie Marceau
- Robert Carlyle
- Denise Richards
- IMDb Rating: 6.4
- Running Time: 128 minutes
- Box Office: $126,943,684
Tomorrow Never Dies is a movie that makes you want to shrug your shoulders, with the exception of an excellent notion for a villain played by Jonathan Price, who is a media magnate hellbent on initiating wars if it sells newspapers.
It has all of the anamorphic scope that moviegoers expect from a Bond movie, but the storyline is undercooked. The tone shifts all over the place, making it a “just okay” movie that is perfect for viewing on a plane or playing in the background as you fold laundry. However, make it a point to focus your attention whenever the Chinese agent Wai Lin, played by the amazing Michelle Yeoh, appears on the screen.
21. Die Another Day (2002)
- Director: Lee Tamahori
- Language: English
- Genre: Action, Adventure, and Thriller
Main Cast:
- Pierce Brosnan
- Halle Berry
- Toby Stephens
- Rosamund Pike
- IMDb Rating: 8.1
- Running Time: 133 minutes
- Box Office: $431,971,116
In Brosnan’s third excursion, which boasts the longest (and one of the most spectacular) pre-title action sequence in the history of the franchise, the seeds of the storyline of Skyfall are planted. These seeds include Bond recovering from a shoulder injury and M’s past returning to haunt her.
In the case of past James Bond actors, the third time around proved to be the charm in terms of producing their most successful film. In the case of Brosnan, however, this was not the situation. In spite of the fact that this is his most impressive and captivating performance to date, the overly convoluted plot and formulaic set pieces in TWINE are unable to support it.
Elektra King, the heiress to her late father’s oil fortune and played by Braveheart’s Sophie Marceau, is the franchise’s first primary female antagonist. She serves as an effective and sad foil for Pierce Brosnan’s portrayal of James Bond.
Bond is forced to kill her in cold blood and then calmly delivers the statement “I never miss” after challenging her bluff that her ex-lover would not kill her in the scene that provides the movie its best scene. She claims that her ex-lover will not kill her. It’s a defining moment for Brosnan’s all-time performance in the role, despite how short it was. (Another all-timer, but this one goes in the loser’s column, is Denise Richards in her role as Christmas Jones, a nuclear physicist.)
22. Casino Royale (2006)
- Director: Martin Campbell
- Language: English
- Genre: Action, Adventure, and Thriller
Main Cast:
- Daniel Craig
- Eva Green
- Mads Mikkelsen
- Jeffrey Wright
- IMDb Rating: 8.0
- Running Time: 144 minutes
- Box Office: $616,502,912
Pierce Brosnan’s final James Bond film was his most successful and least successful outing in the role. Die Another Day is full of ideas, terrible computer graphics, and excessive set pieces (such as that infamous invisible car), all of which struggle to deliver anything similar to a fun or worthwhile time for both James Bond and the audience. The film begins with an absurd day-for-night surfing scene, then ends with Bond fighting a villain wearing a Power Glove using a computer mouse-tracking ball.
Ironically, the most significant moments of the film are the more subdued and gritty scenes, such as when Bond is being tortured while being held captive throughout the opening titles or when he is speaking with M (played by Judi Dench) concerning the possibility of being compromised during his imprisonment. It is a cruel twist of fate that Brosnan’s final performance in character will be the one in which he is most at ease and appears to have no effort at all.
23. Quantum of Solace (2008)
- Director: Marc Forster
- Language: English
- Genre: Action, Adventure, and Thriller
Main Cast:
- Daniel Craig
- Olga Kurylenko
- Mathieu Amalric
- Giancarlo Giannini
- IMDb Rating: 6.6
- Running Time: 106 minutes
- Box Office: $589,580,482
It is difficult to fathom how irrational and angry people were when Daniel Craig was appointed in the role of James Bond. No one wanted him in the position, especially in the wake of Brosnan’s abrupt departure from the series. No one liked him in the role.
However, Craig, the director Martin Campbell, as well as producers Barbara Broccoli along with Michael G. Wilson demonstrated that they were incorrect. After eliminating a man during an intense drag-out staircase brawl in Casino Royale, Bond bleeds and requires a drink to calm his adrenaline shivers. This marks a reinvention of both the franchise and the persona of James Bond.
For the very first time, Bond experiences what it’s like to be genuinely threatened and anxious. As 007 finds himself playing poker in an effort to win back millions of dollars before they go into the clutches of terrorist Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), Craig infuses him with a threat level as well as vulnerability we hadn’t seen before. Bond suffers through a terrible love tale that results in his crying over the loss of Vesper Lynd, played by Eva Green, between the film’s stunning action sequences and vicious fistfights.
Casino Royale is the equivalent of Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins when it comes to the James Bond film series; it is also the film that feels the most finished out of the entire series.
24. Skyfall (2012)
- Director: Sam Mendes
- Language: English
- Genre: Action, Adventure, and Thriller
Main Cast:
- Daniel Craig
- Javier Bardem
- Ralph Fiennes
- Naomie Harris
- IMDb Rating: 7.8
- Running Time: 143 minutes
- Box Office: $1,108,569,499
Daniel Craig’s James Bond must physically face both his and M’s pasts in Skyfall, as a former MI6 officer, the erratic Silva (played by Javier Bardem), upends 007’s entire existence. Skyfall makes huge and bold creative swings and invests the franchise with its most emotionally-driven plot ever. Skyfall was written by John Logan and directed by Sam Mendes.
Just in time for the Bond series’ 50th anniversary, Daniel Craig delivered his second-best performance as James Bond, owing to the direction of Sam Mendes and the storyline written by John Logan. This enhanced not only the franchise but also the action film genre.
Thanks to Roger Deakins, who did an excellent job, it also has the best cinematography of any James Bond film. Skyfall is the Goldfinger of Craig’s tenure, thanks to all of these factors as well as Adele’s theme song, which won an Academy Award. This further demonstrates that the third time’s the charm for the majority of Bond actors.
25. Spectre (2015)
- Director: Sam Mendes
- Language: English
- Genre: Action, Adventure, and Thriller
Main Cast:
- Daniel Craig
- Christoph Waltz
- Léa Seydoux
- Ben Whishaw
- IMDb Rating: 6.8
- Running Time: 148 minutes
- Box Office: $880,681,519
The conclusion of Skyfall hints that Bond is getting closer and closer to actualizing his dream of becoming James Bond. One who is capable of playing both the gritty assassin who was created in Casino Royale along with the spy who we love from the time of Connery and Moore. Instead, the Bond of Spectre does something unexpected and tragic and quite literally turns his back on that pledge, leaving him burdened with an impasse of conscience that was never presented in any of Daniel Craig’s earlier excursions.
In addition to that, it has a well-known antagonist who is underutilized in the story because of the soap opera-level twists in the plot and the terrible monologuing. If you believe what Spectre wants you to think, 007 miraculously found his way on the path to becoming a super spy because the father of his adoptive brother and future arch-nemesis (played by Christoph Waltz) valued Bond better than his son. This is the story that Spectre wants you to believe.
Because he had problems with his father, Franz Oberhauer, sometimes known as Blofeld, eventually became the head of a super terrorist organization. And after that, he became James Bond’s covert foe for many, many years, sending Bond implausibly divergent threats to attack him in movie after movie, with Bond at no point recognizing that he is at the center of the most lengthy con ever. Say what you want about Quantum of Solace. Nevertheless, it’s safe to say it didn’t destroy all the goodwill built up by the earlier films in the series.
26. No Time to Die (2021)
- Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga
- Language: English
- Genre: Action, Adventure, and Thriller
Main Cast:
- Daniel Craig
- Rami Malek
- Léa Seydoux
- Lashana Lynch
- IMDb Rating: 7.3
- Running Time: 163 minutes
- Box Office: $774,153,007
No Time to Die, the much-anticipated and delayed release of Daniel Craig’s last 007 movie (and, perhaps, one of his most divisive), is an almost three-hour emotional epic that traverses a checklist of sorts of “what if…” situations that the creatives would love to see this version of Bond deal with before he goes. No Time to Die is the most divisive of Craig’s 007 movies. The film realizes this wish list to a degree that is, for the most part, pleasing, at times employing a “kitchen sink” strategy and operating on a scale comparable to that of the majority of what has come prior to it in the Bond canon.
The opening half of No Time to Die is directed with assurance by Cary Joji Fukunaga, and it flies through many load-bearing story setups to return an incredibly retired (and very haunted) James Bond to his field service. What is his job? James Bond is tasked with finding the whereabouts of a Russian bio-weapons expert with connections to both SPECTRE and M (Ralph Fiennes).
He does it with his CIA friend Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright). The closer James Bond gets to his objective, the more perilous his final mission becomes. In this way, Bond’s fate and the fate of the world are tragically intertwined in an action-packed conclusion that feels a little bit like it was earned less than it should have been.
But along the way, we get to observe flourishes in Craig’s performances that we hadn’t witnessed previously as he essentially explores all the facets of the renowned spy that his unique stint in the part has left, until this point, unexplored throughout the course of the film. It is a vibrant and passionate performance, with Craig investing totally in every scene’s need and serving as our emotional foundation when the story occasionally gets in the path of the drama, notably during the film’s final third of its run time. The performance is a highlight of the film.
The villain, played by Rami Malek, is “okay,” meaning that he is neither dreadful nor remarkable; yet, he is notable for being the only Bond antagonist that brings James Bond to his knees without the aid of any complex torture apparatus. (It’s strange that after nearly 60 years in the spy business, it’s not a beam of light or getting keel-hauled that takes 007 out, instead a few lucky rounds from a handgun).
The “controversial” finale has an overcooked and bittersweet taste. Still, it is not bold, which appears to be the modus operandi of this box office smash. It pulls no punches in its full-throttle attempt to give Craig a genuine (and, at times, funny) sendoff, one that is equally full of Bond symbolism and refreshing, out-of-the-box moments as well as sequences that highlight how unique Craig’s time spent in the tux was. It leaves no stone unturned in the effort to give Craig a fitting (and, on occasions, hilarious) sendoff. (May the Lord protect anyone who tries to pick up where the highly conclusive finish leaves off.)
Is No Time to Die the final entry in the Bond franchise?
In the year 2022, we hit the formal milestone of James Bond’s 60th anniversary, which is a remarkable accomplishment for the long-running spy brand.
When the long-awaited release of Bond 26, which is based on the writings of the late Ian Fleming, finally makes it to the big screen, the James Bond franchise will usher in a new era. Even though it makes us sad to see Daniel Craig hand over his Walther PPK and magnificent Omega watch for the last time, fans can start to get excited about who will play Bond in the future.
Is there a date set for the release of Bond 26?
The next installment in the iconic Bond film series has not yet a scheduled release date. Still, it is pretty unlikely that it will arrive in theaters before 2025 at the earliest and is more likely to be released in 2026 or later.
No Time To Die, the final installment in the franchise, was released to the audience on September 30, 2021.
Since one of the few long-running producers working on the franchise, Barbara Broccoli, has stated that she does not anticipate filming for the next movie to begin until “at least” 2024; we should not anticipate Bond 26 until at least 2025, if not 2026.
Bond 26 casting: Who will play James Bond in the upcoming film?
The next person who will portray James Bond has not been revealed just yet, but our team will update this section as soon as we have any information regarding the cast of Bond 26.
The time that Daniel Craig spent as James Bond reimagined how the character could have been understood. Craig’s interpretation of Bond featured a defined story arc and a universe limited to his endeavors. It is widely speculated that Bond 26, much like Casino Royale, would act as a fresh start for the entire series.
Final thoughts: Can you recommend a good place to stream the James Bond films?
It is now possible to watch James Bond films through the Amazon Prime Video membership service; however, you will likely be required to pay a rental fee for any Bond film that is not titled “No Time to Die.” A few of the Craig movies have also been made available through the streaming site Netflix. At the same time, a more extensive range of Bond films has begun to appear on the streaming platform MGM Plus (which has recently been rebranded from the channel Epix). HBO Max has recently reported for 007 duty as well. It currently has almost half of the Bond films available to stream, which includes Dr. No, The Man with the Golden Gun (Bond, played by Roger Moore), The Living Daylights (starring Timothy Dalton), GoldenEye (starring Pierce Brosnan), and Daniel Craig’s Casino Royale.
From the timeless exhilaration of “Goldfinger” and “The Spy Who Loved Me” to the cutting-edge excitement of “GoldenEye” and “Casino Royale,” we sincerely hope that you will soon be seeing these films in the sequence in which they were released.
We hope the movie list of James Bond in order of their release (from the latest to oldest) helps you enjoy all James Bond movies.
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Abdul Wahab 
