It is becoming more difficult to figure out how to watch James Bond films in order with 26 amazing films. We’ve done the hard work so you can just relax and enjoy an action-packed Bond marathon.
Since 1962, when Sean Connery first appeared in James Bond’s Dr No film, it has been 60 years. Now, fast forward to 2022, and Daniel Craig’s last appearance as Bond in No Time to Die continued to cement the series’ status as one of the most beloved franchises in movie history.
You’d expect James Bond to be much easier than our guide to how you watch the Marvel movies in order. Yes, but not always. You can choose to go with the flow and view the films in the order they were released, but many prefer to see the Bond movies in the order in which their IMDb ratings are. This allows you to favor the best and leave out the rest.
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Then there’s the question of which James Bond is the greatest? We all have our favorites, so it’s possible to choose to follow the storyline of Daniel Craig’s Bond without worrying about Sean Connery, or go with the more sexy Roger Moore. There are many options to choose from so you can watch James Bond movies according to your preferences.
Here’s everything you need for your James Bond movie marathon, from release date to IMDb ratings to a valiant attempt by our team to establish a chronological order. You can also enjoy the ultimate home theatre experience by checking out our guide to the top TVs. Bond will come to life on the big screen.
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How to watch James Bond movies according to release date
- Dr No (1962).
- From Russia with Love (1963).
- Goldfinger (1964)
- Thunderball (1965).
- Casino Royale (1967) UNOFFICIAL
- 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). UNOFFICIAL
- A View to a Kill (1985).
- The Living Daylights (1987).
- Licence 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)
When it comes to longevity, other movie franchises are not as successful as 007. The long-awaited No Time To Die James Bond movie in 2021 will be the 25th. It was produced by Eon Productions, long-term rights holders. There are also two other non-canon Bond movies, the 1967 spoof Casino Royale and Sean Connery’s 1983 return to Bond, Never Say Never Again. (The latter was released the same year that Octopussy). Never Say Never Again is essentially a remake of Thunderball due to disputes over rights.
The chronological order of James Bond films, including Daniel Craig films
Pierce Brosnan’s Bond attends his regular appointment at Q branch. Image credit: Eon Productions/007.com
This is where things get confusing and complicated, as there is no Bond timeline like there is for Star Wars. In fact, some elements of 007’s long screen time are contradictory.
Bond is usually in a Simpsons-like suspended animation state where he stays roughly the same age as the rest of the world. This is a long-held fan theory that James Bond isn’t one man but a alias for several spies who use the codename 007 to explain the mysterious agent’s changing appearance. However, we think it unlikely because different elements of Bond’s personal story continue between agents. Skyfall clearly shows us where the Bond family is.
It is probably more beneficial to view the Bond series as two separate continuities. The original saga started with Dr No and continues through Die Another Day, which was released 40 years later. It’s possible to assume that the films are arranged in a certain order, even though it isn’t stated explicitly. This is supported by several continuity elements.
Most compelling evidence is that Bond, in many movies after On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, refers to the fact that he was married once. His wedding was turned into a wake by Blofeld’s assassination of Bond’s wife. For Your Eyes Only is the most obvious example of this. In For Your Eyes Only, 007 visits Tracy’s grave before embarking on a revenge mission against Blofeld. Blofeld didn’t appear in the original continuity again, so we can safely conclude that he was actually killed by being dropped into a chimney.
We also know that The Man with the Golden Gun is set after Live and Let Die, as 007 meets Sheriff JW Pepper the second time. The same logic can be applied to Jaws, the super-sized henchman in The Spy who Loved Me and Moonraker or Valentin Zukovsky (the ex-KGB agent played by Robbie Coltrane and The World is Not Enough).
The second continuity begins with Casino Royale (2006) and continues all the way to No Time to Die. This is James Bond’s double zero story. It’s based on Ian Fleming’s first Bond novel. We see Bond qualifying for the job of government assassin, and then embarking on his first mission. All subsequent movies have been part of the same chronology. They are much more serialized that we saw in the original Bond series, especially with Quantum and Spectre serving as a thread between them.
It is not clear whether the events in the five Daniel Craig films took place before Dr No. We do see Bond’s first encounter in Spectre with Ernst Stavro Blofeld – it’s here that the bad guy gets his famous scars. The negative side is that Craig in No Time to Die will be almost 20 years younger than Sean Connery in Dr No. While Bond’s classic Aston Martin DB5 from Skyfall storage suggests that Goldfinger may still be with him. Craig’s films may exist in a parallel timeline to JJ Abrams Trek movies…
Official continuity does not include the 1967 Casino Royale or Never Say Never Again.
We said it was confusing.
Daniel Craig continuity
- Casino Royale
- Quantum of Solace
- Skyfall
- Spectre
- There is no time to die
Original
- Dr. No
- Russia with Love
- Goldfinger
- Thunderball
- Only once in your life
- On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
- Diamonds Are Forever
- Let’s Live!
- The Man with the Golden Gun
- The Spy Who Lovingly Loved Me
- Moonraker
- Only for Your Eyes
- Octopussy
- The View from a Kill
- Living Daylights
- Licence to Kill
- GoldenEye
- Tomorrow Never Dies
- The World is Not Enough
- Die Another Day
Ranking the 007 films that are James Bond’s best: The Best James Bond Movies
Given the Bond franchise’s 60-year history, there have been very few classic Bond films. It’s not surprising that Casino Royale, Daniel Craig’s stunning debut in the role, is ranked No. 26 on IMDb User Scores. Closely followed by Goldfinger (arguably the film that set Bond’s template for a gadget-heavy, over-the top villain)
Sean Connery dominates the upper end of this list, with his five first appearances in the tuxedo occupying the top 10. Roger Moore is clearly midtable while Pierce Brosnan (always a reliable and reliable 007) sees three out of four of his appearances languishing at the bottom 10. The exception is GoldenEye, which brought the franchise back to theaters after a six year absence. It is also interesting to see that Casino Royale films appear at opposite ends on the chart, even though they share a title.
James Bond movies by actor
Skyfall: Daniel Craig’s 007 discovers his Aston Martin DB5 classic in Skyfall. Image credit: Eon Productions
James Bond eras, like British TV staple Doctor Who are defined by the actors who play them. This list would look identical to James Bond movies in order of release dates if it weren’t for Sean Connery’s two departures from the role and subsequent returns.
Connery had quit the gig following his fifth Bond movie, You Only Live Twice. George Lazenby temporarily took over For On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Connery was again attracted to Diamonds Are Forever two more years later. He then left again, seemingly for the last time… until he was lured back as an older 007 in Never Say Never Again, directed by Irvin Kershner.
Connery was keeping Connery’s tuxedo warm while David Niven played Sir James Bond in Casino Royale, an unofficial spoof. The movie featured Connery not the only James Bond. It revolved around the idea of multiple agents, played by Dr No’s Ursula Andress and Peter Sellers, using the famous name as an identity.
Roger Moore, despite being older than Connery’s, took over the iconic role in 1973’s Live and Let Die. He would then go on to play 007 for seven movies, a record. Eon decided to go with a younger model when the infamous A View to a Kill rolled in 1985.
Timothy Dalton was a politically more correct version of James Bond in the 1980s, but only two movies were made. The franchise ended after 1989’s Licence To Kill. Pierce Brosnan played James Bond when he fulfilled his promise in 1995’s GoldenEye. He had previously been denied the role due to his commitments to the 1980s TV series Remington Steele.
Brosnan’s last Bond movie, Die Another Day had a lot of humor with its giant ice palaces and invisible cars. Eon decided to take 007 back down to basics after the more gritty Jason Bourne movies. Their man was Daniel Craig.
Craig will end his career as the most famous spy in the world with No Time to Die, his fifth and final appearance. He won’t be considered the oldest Bond when he retires from his Walther PPK. However, he will be the longest-serving Bond, having played the role since 2006. This is 15 years in Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
Now, speculation is rampant about who will play the iconic action hero of the United Kingdom on the big screen.
Sean Connery
- Dr. No
- Russia with Love
- Goldfinger
- Thunderball
- You only live once
- Diamonds Are Forever
- Never Say Never Again
David Niven
- Casino Royale (1967)
George Lazenby
- On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
Roger Moore
- Let’s Live!
- The Man with the Golden Gun
- The Spy Who Lovingly Loved Me
- Moonraker
- For Your Eyes Only
- Octopussy
- The View from a Kill
Timothy Dalton
- Living Daylights
- Licence to Kill
Pierce Brosnan
- GoldenEye
- Tomorrow Never Dies
- The World is Not Enough
- Die Another Day
Daniel Craig
- Casino Royale
- Quantum of Solace
- Skyfall
- Spectre
- There is no time to die
