This legendary British intelligence agent has enthralled global audiences since his cinematic debut in 1962’s Dr. No. Based on the character by Ian Fleming, James Bond has appeared in 27 movies with seven actors portraying him from the 1960s to the present. The franchise is the fifth highest-grossing movie franchise of all time at the time of writing, earning over $7.8 billion at the worldwide box office.
Famous for its chic cast, stunning locations, and thrilling action sequences, the Bond series is a seminal inclusion in film history. This guide will show you how to watch all the James Bond movies in order using popular streamers like Prime Video, Netflix, Disney+ and more! Note: Eon Productions serves as the official producer of the James Bond film series, however, not all Bond films are made by Eon. Titles like 1967’s Casino Royale and 1983’s Never Say Never Again are considered non-canonical entries that we have also included in this guide.
The role of James Bond has been played by Sean Connery, David Niven, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig. We’ve compiled a full list of Bond films in order of release below, along with which actor portrayed the character in each. Some performers took on the role only once (Lazenby), while others like Connery returned after previously leaving. Due to the nature of the character, there isn’t a particular chronological order you can follow so we have arranged them by their original release year.
Without further ado, let’s shake (not stir) this mission to explore all the James Bond movies in order!
Sean Connery (1962-1967)
Sean Connery originally starred as James Bond in five entries from 1962-1967:
- Dr. No (1962)
- From Russia With Love (1963)
- Goldfinger (1964)
- Thunderball (1965)
- You Only Live Twice (1967)
His initial portrayal was in 1962’s Dr. No, in which Bond investigates the disappearance of a fellow agent in Jamaica and confronts the mysterious Dr. No (Joseph Wiseman). This entry is a fantastic introduction to the franchise that successfully establishes the iconic character and formula.
Over the next three years, Connery solidified his status as 007 with From Russia With Love (1963), which follows Bond on a mission to retrieve a Soviet encryption device, Goldfinger (1964), which follows Bond as he stops a wealthy gold magnate from irradiating the U.S. gold reserve at Fort Knox, and Thunderball (1965), which pits him against SPECTRE agents who have hijacked two NATO atomic bombs. Goldfinger was the first Bond film to win an Academy Award (Best Sound Editing), and it features one of the best Bond songs sung by Shirley Bassey.
The actor concluded his initial run as Bond in 1967 with You Only Live Twice, from a screenplay written by the one and only Roald Dahl. (Yes, the man responsible for penning Charlie and the Chocolate Factory wrote a Bond flick!) This adventure sends Bond to Japan to investigate the hijacking of American and Soviet spacecraft.
Sean Connery’s portrayal represents the quintessential, hyper-masculine James Bond that audiences traditionally associate with the character. While it is certainly an outdated representation by modern standards, these original films remain a must-watch for any fan to see how the universal phenomenon began.
David Niven (1967)
David Niven appeared as James Bond in only one film, 1967's Casino Royale. Unlike the straightforward spy adventures of the official series, this film functions primarily as a chaotic spy parody, as it follows multiple agents who are assigned the code name “007” to confuse the evil counter-intelligence agency, SMERSH.
Despite its messy plot, Casino Royale is a worthwhile watch for its ensemble cast featuring appearances by names that will make you say, “Wait… They are in this movie?!,” including stars like Peter Sellers, Orson Welles, and John Huston. The film also boasts the stellar Burt Bacharach song “The Look of Love,” which was nominated for both an Academy Award and a Grammy Award.
George Lazenby (1969)
Despite being one of the most beloved actors to play James Bond, did you know George Lazenby had ZERO professional acting experience before landing the lead in On Her Majesty's Secret Service? In his cinematic debut as the suave spy, Bond tracks his nemesis Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Telly Savalas) to a Swiss alpine retreat, where he falls in love with a troubled Contessa (Diana Rigg) while foiling a global biological warfare plot.
The film went on to become one of the highest-grossing films of that year. Diana Rigg’s brilliantly poignant portrayal of Teresa di Vicenzo remains a standout performance from any of the Bond installments, crafting a compelling yet tragic chemistry with Lazenby. This film also marks the return of the iconic bald villain Blofeld, last seen in You Only Live Twice and parodied dozens of times since.
Sean Connery (1971)
Connery returned to the role after four years, reuniting with his Goldfinger director Guy Hamilton in Diamonds Are Forever. This entry follows Bond as he attempts to stop Blofeld’s plot to develop a frickin’ laser beam from space.
Connery was given a then-record $1.25 million salary to portray the character following Lazenby’s exit. Diamonds Are Forever was a massive box office hit, earning over a whopping $116 million worldwide on a $7 million budget. It went on to earn an Academy Award nomination for Best Sound and featured another Goldfinger reunion in the form of Shirley Bassey belting out the titular theme.
Roger Moore (1973-1983)
Roger Moore embarked on his tenure as James Bond beginning in 1973, a role he would hold longer than any other actor until Daniel Craig surpassed his record in 2021. His six-streak of Bond flicks begins with the Hamilton-directed Live and Let Die and concludes with 1983’s Octopussy. Following a one-movie break which saw Connery’s return in Never Say Never Again the same year as Octopussy, Moore came back to the role two years later for A View to a Kill.
- 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)
The Moore era is known for Bond’s humorous quips not traditionally seen in previous cinematic entries, along with the incorporation of different genres throughout his run, including sci-fi with Moonraker, martial arts in The Man With the Golden Gun, and Blaxploitation with Live and Let Die. It is no surprise that many fans name Roger Moore as their favorite James Bond, thanks in part to the unique charisma and wit he brought throughout his 12-year run.
Sean Connery (1983)
In the immortal words of Michael Corleone in the beloved third part of The Godfather (1990), “Just when I thought I was out… They pull me back in!” And I can only imagine this is what Sean Connery responded with when production company Taliafilm (probably) parked a dump truck full of money at his front lawn and asked if he would return to the role for one last ride.
For his final portrayal of Bond in the unofficial entry Never Say Never Again, the now-weary super spy is tasked with investigating SPECTRE’s theft of two nuclear weapons. Although this is not an official Eon Productions entry, this installment remains a fantastic conclusion for Connery’s seminal arc as the character.
Roger Moore (1985)
We’ve now reached the final entry in Roger Moore’s beloved stint as the suave spy with 1985’s A View to a Kill. Directed by frequent Bond helmer, John Glen, A View to a Kill follows Bond as he squares up against Maximillian Zorin, played brilliantly by Christopher Walken. Moore’s… advanced age is certainly noticeable in this installment, and some would have preferred having an actor who wasn’t older than costar’s mother execute the film’s wild stunts and romantic interludes.
Regardless what disapproving responses were to this entry, one thing remains timeless: Grace Jones’ appearance as May Day. Jones and Moore worked brilliantly against each other, and their final moments together form a touching conclusion for the character that continues to endure today.
Timothy Dalton (1987-1989)
Despite only appearing in two installments, Timothy Dalton left a lasting mark on the James Bond franchise and is still considered one of the best for his grittier depiction of the character. He starred in back-to-back entries directed by John Glen:
- The Living Daylights (1987)
- Licence to Kill (1989)
Dalton’s stint as Bond ushered in a darker hero that captured the more serious tone of Ian Fleming’s original books. This version highlighted Bond’s inner demons and cool professionalism, a refreshing shift from the more playful 007s of the past. This down-to-earth intensity is why I personally prefer something like Licence to Kill over many of Roger Moore’s entries. Clearly, this strategy of crafting a more rugged Bond worked as both of his movies were major financial wins, with each earning over $100 million worldwide, respectively.
Pierce Brosnan (1995-2002)
As a millennial, Pierce Brosnan’s portrayal of James Bond remains the one I hold closest to my heart. His seven year stint as the famed agent includes the following titles:
- GoldenEye (1995)
- Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
- The World Is Not Enough (1999)
- Die Another Day (2002)
Brosnan’s Bond films are known for their over-the-top action sequences featuring love interests with unique names like Dr. Christmas Jones and Jinx Johnson. For my fellow millennials, his legacy is also cemented in gaming history; it’s not an exaggeration to say I would spend hours of my life playing the iconic GoldenEye 007 on the N64 and the highly entertaining Nightfire on my GameCube. As Bond, Brosnan served up the perfect cocktail of suave charisma mixed with witty sophistication and a little sprinkle of danger that makes his films an endlessly exciting watch.
Daniel Craig (2006-2021)
And now we’ve arrived at the latest actor to call himself Bond—the blonde-haired, blue-eyed Daniel Craig who currently holds the record for the longest tenure as the iconic spy. His five-movie stint includes the highest-grossing Bond film of all time with 2012’s Skyfall:
- Casino Royale (2006)
- Quantum of Solace (2008)
- Skyfall (2012)
- Spectre (2015)
- No Time to Die (2021)
When Craig’s casting was initially announced, websites like craignotbond.com and danielcraigisnotbond.com were born. At the time, vocal members of the internet decried the casting. That is, until Casino Royale released in 2006, and audiences were introduced to this physically imposing super spy with a heart-wrenching emotional core. The torture scene featuring Le Chiffre (played flawlessly by Mads Mikkelsen) armed with a durable rope and tattered chair remains one of the most intense balls-to-the-wall sequences in any Bond film ever. Bond and Vesper (with Eva Green turning in a perfect performance) embracing while fully clothed in the shower will never fail to make me an emotional mess.
The next installments featured some of the best working talents in Hollywood including Jeffrey Wright, Javier Bardem, Léa Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes, and Christoph Waltz. During his tenure as 007, Daniel Craig ultimately brought a brawly yet vulnerable edge to the iconic super spy we’ve known for over six decades.
With the actor hanging up the tie in 2021, the question on every fan’s mind is now: Who will be the next James Bond?
