The James Bond franchise is currently the second all-time highest grossing film franchise in history, after Star Wars, and one of the longest running film series in history, spanning 22 official films, two unofficial films, one TV episode, and a cartoon television series spin-off.

Every Bond film has been a box office success to a lesser or greater extent. They continue to earn substantial profits after their theatrical run via videotape, DVD, and television broadcasts; in the UK, Bond holds three of the top five spots of the most-watched television films.

The first actor to play Bond on-screen was American Barry Nelson in the 1954 CBS television production of Casino Royale in which the character became a US agent named “Jimmy Bond”. In 1956, Bob Holness provided the voice of Bond in a South African radio adaptation of Fleming’s third novel, Moonraker.

The 3th anniversary poster for ‘Dr No’. The James Bond franchise is the second all-time highest grossing film franchise in history, one of the longest running film series in history, spanning 21 official films, two unofficial films, one TV episode, and a cartoon television series spin-off.

Harry Saltzman and Albert R Broccoli started the official cinematic run of Bond in 1962, with Dr No starring Sean Connery. The films made by their production company, EON Productions are regarded as the “official films” by all parties, although the 3 “unofficial” adaptations were authorised.

The official series had set up a semi-regular schedule of releases: initially annually, then usually once every two years, although there have been a couple of times where the gap was larger, usually due to external events.

Since Bond’s peak of popularity in 1965, with the release of Thunderball, critics have often predicted that his successful run would come to an end, usually believing that the films were out of touch with the times. After the release of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, George Lazenby quit the lead role for this very reason, even though he was offered a seven-film contract. By the 1980s, some critics had grown tired of the series, commenting that the perennial sexism and glamorous locales had become outdated, and that Bond’s smooth, unruffled exterior did not mesh with competing films like Die Hard.

The hard-edge of Timothy Dalton in the Bond films of the late 1980s met a mixed response from filmgoers: some welcomed the earthier style reminiscent of Fleming’s character, while others missed the light-hearted approach which characterised the Roger Moore era. While Dalton’s final outing, Licence to Kill (1989), was financially successful, it did not prove as popular as previous installments. Its relative failure is usually blamed on a poor promotional campaign in the United States, Dalton’s darker portrayal of Bond, and its status as the first Bond film to be rated PG-13 in the US and “15” in the UK. Regardless, a new Bond film was scheduled for release in 1991. However, legal wrangling over ownership of the character led to a protracted delay that would keep Bond off film screens for the next six years, during which time Dalton had moved on.

The 1990s saw a revival and renewal of the series beginning with GoldenEye in 1995. Pierce Brosnan filled 007’s shoes with a mix of Sean Connery cool and Roger Moore wit. The combination saw Bond’s success return to a level it hadn’t enjoyed since 1979’s Moonraker. In all, Brosnan made four films before being replaced in 2006 by Daniel Craig, who stars in a reboot of the series. Although Craig’s Casino Royale is the 21st film of the series, it is Bond’s first mission after obtaining his double-0 status from MI6.

By the 1980s, some critics had grown tired of the series, commenting that the perennial sexism and glamorous locales had become outdated.

The James Bond novels and films have ranged from realistic spy drama to science fiction. The original books by Fleming are usually dark — lacking fantasy or gadgets. Instead, they established the formula of unique villains, outlandish plots, and voluptuous women who tend to fall in love with Bond at first sight — the feeling often being mutual. The films expanded on Fleming’s books, adding gadgets from Q Branch, death-defying stunts, and often abandoning the original plotlines for more outlandish and cinema-friendly adventures.

The cinematic Bond adventures were initially influenced by earlier spy thrillers such as North by Northwest, Saboteur, and Journey Into Fear, but later entries became formulaic dramas where Bond saves the world from apocalyptic madmen. Inevitably, Bond’s nemesis tries to kill him with a death-trap, during which the villain reveals vital information. Bond later escapes and uses this intelligence to thwart the evil plot. In many cases, Bond then kills his opponent himself, although early films often ended with the enemy either escaping or dying by someone else’s hand.

Since their first film, Dr No in 1962, there has only been one film made by EON Productions that wasn’t a part of the Bond series: Call Me Bwana, starring Bob Hope.

1. Dr No (1962)
2. From Russia with Love (1963)
3. Goldfinger (1964)
4. Thunderball (1965)
5. You Only Live Twice (1967)
6. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)
7. Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
8. Live and Let Die (1973)
9. The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
10. The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
11. Moonraker (1979)
12. For Your Eyes Only (1981)
13. Octopussy (1983)
14. A View to a Kill (1985)
15. The Living Daylights (1987)
16. Licence to Kill (1989)
17. GoldenEye (1995)
18. Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
19. The World Is Not Enough (1999)
20. Die Another Day (2002)
21. Casino Royale (2006)
22. Quantum of Solace (2008)

See also:

• Bond films: EON films
• Bond films: Non-EON films