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James Bond (Franchise)

The James Bond film series is a British series of spy films based on the fictional character of MI6 agent James Bond, “007”, who originally appeared in a series of books by Ian Fleming. It is one of the longest continually-running film series in history, having been in on-going production from 1962 to the present (with a six-year hiatus between 1989 and 1995). In that time Eon Productions has produced 24 films, most of them at Pinewood Studios. With a combined gross of over $7 billion to date, the films produced by Eon constitute the fourth-highest-grossing film series. Six actors have portrayed 007 in the Eon series, the latest being Daniel Craig.

Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman co-produced most of the Eon films until 1975, when Broccoli became the sole producer. The single exception during this period was Thunderball, on which Broccoli and Saltzman became executive producers while Kevin McClory produced. From 1984 Broccoli was joined by his stepson Michael G. Wilson as producer and in 1995 Broccoli stepped aside from Eon and was replaced by his daughter Barbara, who has co-produced with Wilson since. Broccoli’s (and until 1975, Saltzman’s) family company, Danjaq, has held ownership of the series through Eon, and maintained co-ownership with United Artists since the mid-1970s. The Eon series has seen continuity both in the main actors and in the production crews, with directors, writers, composers, production designers, and others employed through a number of films.

From the release of Dr. No (1962) to For Your Eyes Only (1981), the films were distributed solely by United Artists. When Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer absorbed United Artists in 1981, MGM/UA Entertainment Co. was formed and distributed the films until 1995. MGM solely distributed three films from 1997 to 2002 after United Artists was retired as a mainstream studio. From 2006 to present, MGM and Columbia Pictures have co-distributed the film series, following the 2004 acquisition of MGM by a consortium led by Columbia’s parent company, Sony Pictures Entertainment. In November 2010, MGM filed for bankruptcy. Following its emergence from insolvency, Columbia became co-production partner of the series with Eon. Sony’s distribution rights to the franchise expired in 2015 with the release of Spectre. In 2017, MGM and Eon offered a one-film contract.

Independently of the Eon series, there have been three additional productions with the character of James Bond: a 1954 American television adaptation, Casino Royale, produced by CBS; a 1967 spoof, Casino Royale, produced by Charles K. Feldman; and a 1983 remake of Thunderball entitled Never Say Never Again, produced by Jack Schwartzman, who had obtained the rights to the film from McClory.

TitleYearBond actorDirectorBox office (millions)[14]Budget (millions)[14]Ref(s)
Actual $Adjusted 2005 $Actual $Adjusted 2005 $
Dr. No1962Sean ConneryTerence Young59.5448.81.17.0
From Russia with Love1963Sean ConneryTerence Young78.9543.82.012.6
Goldfinger1964Sean ConneryGuy Hamilton124.9820.43.018.6
Thunderball1965Sean ConneryTerence Young141.2848.16.841.9
You Only Live Twice1967Sean ConneryLewis Gilbert111.6514.210.359.9
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service1969George LazenbyPeter R. Hunt64.6291.57.037.3
Diamonds Are Forever1971Sean ConneryGuy Hamilton116.0442.57.234.7
Live and Let Die1973Roger MooreGuy Hamilton126.4460.37.030.8
The Man with the Golden Gun1974Roger MooreGuy Hamilton97.6334.07.027.7
The Spy Who Loved Me1977Roger MooreLewis Gilbert185.4533.014.045.1
Moonraker1979Roger MooreLewis Gilbert210.3535.034.091.5
For Your Eyes Only1981Roger MooreJohn Glen194.9449.428.060.2
Octopussy1983Roger MooreJohn Glen183.7373.827.553.9
A View to a Kill1985Roger MooreJohn Glen152.4275.230.054.5
The Living Daylights1987Timothy DaltonJohn Glen191.2313.540.068.8
Licence to Kill1989Timothy DaltonJohn Glen156.2250.936.056.7
GoldenEye1995Pierce BrosnanMartin Campbell352.0518.560.076.9
Tomorrow Never Dies1997Pierce BrosnanRoger Spottiswoode333.0463.2110.0133.9
The World Is Not Enough1999Pierce BrosnanMichael Apted361.8439.5135.0158.3
Die Another Day2002Pierce BrosnanLee Tamahori432.0465.4142.0154.2
Casino Royale2006Daniel CraigMartin Campbell594.2581.5150.0145.3
Quantum of Solace2008Daniel CraigMarc Forster586.1514.2200.0181.4
Skyfall2012Daniel CraigSam Mendes1108.6943.5150.0–200.0127.7–170.2
Spectre2015Daniel CraigSam Mendes880.7725.5245.0–250.0[b]201.8–205.9
No Time to Die2021Daniel CraigCary Joji Fukunaga119.189.9250.0–301.0188.7–226.4
Total of Eon-produced films6,948.212,085.61,452.91,507.92,069.4–2,154.5

Unofficial Films

Title Year James Bond

Casino Royale – TV episode
1954 Barry Nelson Casino Royale – Film spoof
1967 David Niven Never Say Never Again 1983 Sean Connery

Bond Villains

Bond Books

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