All 25 James Bond Movies, Ranked

Trivia: It’s already trivia to be critics’ worst-rated James Bond movie, but try this tidbit on for size: Duran Duran’s title song was the only Bond theme song to go to #1 on the charts in America.

Trivia: Bond has exterminated a total of 405 villains in movie franchise history, but this movie set the record for fewest, with only one Bond kill.

Trivia: With Roger Moore‘s contract expired, this movie went to casting, and James Brolin was almost given the role of 007. At the last moment, Moore agreed to play Bond again. YouTube reliably has clips of Brolin’s screen test.

Trivia: This was the first Bond movie to win a Razzie, in the category of Worst Supporting Actress, played by Denise Richards, who played a nuclear physicist. A few years later, Madonna would also win a Razzie in the same category, for Die Another Day.

Trivia: This was the fourth and final Bond film to star Pierce Brosnan, but there were some notable firsts. Madonna became the first person to both appear in a Bond film and perform the title song. And this was the first movie role for Rosamund Pike, who was cast five days before the start of principal photography.

Trivia: The first Bond movie title to have no direct relation to any of Ian Fleming’s work, it was an intentional twist on The Beatles song “Tomorrow Never Knows.” Despite that factoid, Sheryl Crow’s title song bears no noticeable similarity to the Fab Four.

Trivia: After the release of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Steven Spielberg offered to direct this Bond movie, but was turned down. It wasn’t his first Bond rejection letter. He also offered to direct The Spy Who Loved Me.

Trivia: After the success of this movie, Mexico City began holding The Day of the Dead parades, as shown in the iconic opening scene. Prior to this, there had never been a parade for the holiday anywhere in Mexico. Writers had apparently confused it with Brazil’s Carnaval celebrations.

Trivia: James Bond (Daniel Craig) kisses the leading Bond Girl (Olga Kurylenko), but they never make love, which was a first in the James Bond filmography. Perhaps it was simply a lack of screen time: This is the shortest Bond film, clocking in at 106 minutes.

Trivia: The scene where Bond escapes through a moon landing movie set was inspired by the popular conspiracy theory that the Apollo 11 moon landings was faked.

Trivia: The best trivia here relates to the title song. Written by Paul and Linda McCartney, performed by Wings, and produced by George Martin, it was the first instance of a true rock song used as the main title track in a Bond film. It was also the first Bond theme to be nominated for an Oscar. And finally, our favorite bit of soundtrack trivia: In 1992, Weird Al Yankovic asked Paul McCartney if he could do parody version called “Chicken Pot Pie.” McCartney, who had previously encouraged Yankovic to spoof his work, turned him down because he is a vegetarian.

Trivia: Due to the illness of actor Bernard Lee, this is the only Bond movie not to feature the character M, the head of MI6. After Lee, the role was portrayed by Robert Brown, Judi Dench, and Ralph Fiennes.

Trivia: This was the first movie (of two) to star Timothy Dalton as James Bond, but he was actually offered the role in three prior movies: You Only Live Twice (1967), On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), and Diamonds Are Forever (1971). Mel Gibson and Christopher Reeve were also considered for the part.

Trivia: Dr. Seuss! You cannot do better trivia than Roald Dahl, better known as the scribe beyond Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach, writing the screenplay for this Bond flick. Ian Fleming died a few years prior, and the two authors were actually longtime friends. During WWII, they worked together as British spies.

Trivia: Before it was even released, the press reported this would be the most violent Bond movie ever. It lived up to the hype and became the first Bond film to earn a PG-13 — a rating every film since has also received.

Trivia: GoldenEye can tout several Bond firsts. The first 007 by Pierce Brosnan. The first to feature a woman, Judi Dench, in the role of M. The first completely original Bond film, without any reference to story elements of Ian Fleming. The first to be released on DVD. The first to use CGI. And finally, the first Bond film to be made after the downfall of the Soviet Union, and therefore, the first to shoot scenes in Russia.

Trivia: George Lazenby! If you glimpse this movie title in a Jeopardy! clue, hit the buzzer and blurt out those two words: George Lazenby! This was the only film to feature Lazenby, a one-time Bond who is often overlooked in the actor canon of Connery / Moore / Dalton / Brosnan / Craig.

Trivia: For the first time ever, the theme song, “Nobody Does It Better” performed by Carly Simon, had a different title than the movie (a trend that would continue until Adele’s “Skyfall”). The song has since become a soundtrack standard, appearing in innumerable films, from Mr. & Mrs. Smith to Lost in Translation.

Trivia: This is the most recent film in the franchise, and the only canonical film in which James Bond actually dies, unless you count that time in Casino Royale when Bond was poisoned and his heart briefly stopped beating before being resuscitated.

Trivia: Alfred Hitchcock was asked to direct this Bond flick, but he passed because he had just finished North by Northwest. Even without the handiwork of the Master of Suspense, it rates high among fans.

Trivia: Finally, a Bond movie wins an Academy Award for Best Song! Adele was pregnant when she recorded the track, causing her voice to go deeper. She has said she cannot recreate the low tone now.

Trivia: Here’s a good factoid to try out on friends: How many times has Bond’s iconic catchphrase “shaken, not stirred” been used in the 25-movie franchise history? The answer is surprisingly low: 12. Since we’re talking booze, it’s worth noting that this movie holds the record for most drinks consumer by Bond, at 26. Perhaps runtime contributed though, as this also happens to be the longest Bond film, clocking in at 145 minutes.

Trivia: First of all, it was the first of them all (excluding the obscure 1954 version of Casino Royale, a TV movie that Bond enthusiasts consider non-canonical). Right out of the gate, Ursula Andress won a Golden Globe for Best Newcomer for her role as Honey Ryder, setting the template for what would be 78 Bond Girls, and counting.

Trivia: In a list published in Life Magazine, JFK listed this book in his top ten favorite novels of all time. Sean Connery also cited this movie his personal favorite 007.

Trivia: Do you need more trivia than it being the most critically-lauded Bond film of all time, based on Rotten Tomatoes scores? Okay, it also won an Oscar, for Best Sound Effects. And beyond technical and music awards, no Bond movie, director, or cast member has ever been nominated for an Academy Award.