James Bond Movies Tier List: All 25 Films Ranked
Sixty-plus years, six actors, one license to kill. We went through every single Bond film, from Sean Connery's debut to Daniel Craig's teary exit, and sorted them into tiers based on what fans and critics actually think, not just nostalgia.
Some of these picks will make people angry. That's fine, that's what Bond arguments are for. Disagree with where we put your favorite? Good, that means you have a favorite, and you should go make your own list.
The tier list
The community’s tier list fills in as members vote. It appears once 5 members have ranked or voted on these.
Think you can rank them better?
Make your own tier listFree account. Your ranking stays private unless you share it, and it counts toward the community tier list.Vote
SS Tier: The gold standard
Goldfinger
The template. Oddjob's hat, the laser table, Shirley Bassey belting out that title song. Every Bond film since has been measured against this one, and most still come up short.
About Goldfinger
The third Bond film and the one that cemented the franchise's formula of gadgets, henchmen, and larger-than-life villains. Gert Frobe starred as the title villain.
- Released
- 1964
- Bond actor
- Sean Connery
Casino Royale
Daniel Craig's introduction rebuilt Bond from the ground up, and the poker table tension plus that brutal stairwell fight still hits. The parkour chase through the construction site is one of the best openers in the series.
About Casino Royale
A full reboot of the franchise introducing Daniel Craig, based closely on Ian Fleming's first Bond novel.
- Released
- 2006
- Bond actor
- Daniel Craig
From Russia with Love
Connery at his coolest, a train full of paranoia, and Robert Shaw as one of the few henchmen who feels like a genuine physical threat. Critics still point to this as the thinking person's Bond film.
About From Russia with Love
The second Bond film, built around a Cold War train chase and considered by many critics to be one of the series' most tightly plotted entries.
- Released
- 1963
- Bond actor
- Sean Connery
Skyfall
Javier Bardem's Silva is genuinely unsettling, the Scotland finale is gorgeous, and Adele's theme song won an Oscar for a reason. This is the one that convinced skeptics Bond could be prestige filmmaking.
About Skyfall
Marked the franchise's 50th anniversary, with Javier Bardem as villain Silva and a theme song by Adele.
- Released
- 2012
- Bond actor
- Daniel Craig
AA Tier: Shaken, not stirred
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
George Lazenby only got one shot and critics have been retroactively kind to it for decades. The ski chases hold up, and the ending still lands like a gut punch even if you know it's coming.
About On Her Majesty's Secret Service
George Lazenby's only outing as Bond, notable for its emotional ending and ski chase sequences.
- Released
- 1969
- Bond actor
- George Lazenby
The Spy Who Loved Me
Roger Moore's best outing, with Jaws as a genuinely fun recurring menace and that submarine Lotus Esprit everyone wanted as a kid. Nobody does it better, as the song says.
About The Spy Who Loved Me
Widely considered Roger Moore's best Bond film, featuring the debut of the henchman Jaws and a submarine car.
- Released
- 1977
- Bond actor
- Roger Moore
GoldenEye
Pierce Brosnan's debut gave Bond a post Cold War identity crisis and somehow made it work, plus the tank chase through St. Petersburg is still a blast. Also responsible for a Nintendo 64 game that ate a generation's weekends.
About GoldenEye
Pierce Brosnan's debut as Bond, released after a six-year gap in the franchise, also inspiring a hugely popular video game adaptation.
- Released
- 1995
- Bond actor
- Pierce Brosnan
The Living Daylights
Timothy Dalton brought a harder, more grounded edge that fans have come around on hard in recent years. The cello case sled chase alone earns its spot here.
About The Living Daylights
Timothy Dalton's first film as Bond, taking the character in a more serious, grounded direction.
- Released
- 1987
- Bond actor
- Timothy Dalton
Thunderball
Underwater battles, a stolen nuclear warhead, and peak Connery swagger. It was a massive hit in its day, even if the pacing drags a bit underwater by modern standards.
About Thunderball
An underwater-heavy entry involving a stolen nuclear warhead, one of the highest-grossing Bond films when adjusted for inflation.
- Released
- 1965
- Bond actor
- Sean Connery
For Your Eyes Only
Moore dials back the camp and it works, grounding Bond in a revenge plot with real stakes. The cliffside climb finale is genuinely tense.
About For Your Eyes Only
A grittier, more grounded entry for Moore's Bond, moving away from the sci-fi excess of Moonraker.
- Released
- 1981
- Bond actor
- Roger Moore
No Time to Die
A huge, emotional send-off for Craig's era that fans are still arguing about, but even the detractors admit it goes for broke. Rami Malek's villain is underused, but the ending is unforgettable whether you loved it or hated it.
About No Time to Die
Daniel Craig's final film as Bond, concluding his five-film arc as the character.
- Released
- 2021
- Bond actor
- Daniel Craig
Dr. No
The one that started it all and still holds up. Sean Connery defines Bond immediately, cool and dangerous without a single wasted motion. It lacks the polish of later entries but earns its place just below the top tier on pure historical weight and confidence.
About Dr. No
The 1962 film that started it all, introducing Sean Connery as Bond and setting the template for decades of spy films to follow. It was based on Ian Fleming's novel of the same name.
- Released
- 1962
- Bond actor
- Sean Connery
BB Tier: Solidly dependable
You Only Live Twice
The volcano lair is iconic Bond imagery, but the ninja plot and Connery's visible fatigue with the role hold it back. Still, you can draw a straight line from this to every evil lair movie that followed.
About You Only Live Twice
Set largely in Japan, this film introduced the volcano lair that became a template for Bond villain hideouts for years.
- Released
- 1967
- Bond actor
- Sean Connery
Licence to Kill
Dalton goes full rogue agent in a revenge story that was darker than audiences expected at the time. It flopped on release but has aged into a cult favorite among fans who like their Bond less cartoonish.
About Licence to Kill
Dalton's second and final Bond film, following a personal revenge plot rather than a typical espionage mission.
- Released
- 1989
- Bond actor
- Timothy Dalton
The World Is Not Enough
Sophie Marceau makes a genuinely good villain, but the film undercuts itself with Denise Richards as a nuclear physicist named Christmas Jones. Half great thriller, half eye-roll.
About The World Is Not Enough
Co-stars Sophie Marceau as a complex villain and Denise Richards as a nuclear physicist.
- Released
- 1999
- Bond actor
- Pierce Brosnan
Octopussy
Yes, the title is ridiculous, and yes, there's a scene where Bond is in a clown costume. But the circus train climax and the Faberge egg plot are more fun than the film gets credit for.
About Octopussy
Involves a Faberge egg smuggling plot and a circus setting, one of the more eccentric entries in the series.
- Released
- 1983
- Bond actor
- Roger Moore
Tomorrow Never Dies
A media mogul villain that felt prescient and Michelle Yeoh as a genuine equal partner in the action. It's solidly mid-tier Brosnan, competent but rarely talked about with much passion.
About Tomorrow Never Dies
Features a media tycoon villain and co-stars Michelle Yeoh as a Chinese intelligence agent working alongside Bond.
- Released
- 1997
- Bond actor
- Pierce Brosnan
Quantum of Solace
A direct sequel to Casino Royale that suffers from choppy editing and a forgettable villain, but the raw, revenge-driven Bond underneath is interesting. Fans are split between calling it underrated and calling it a mess.
About Quantum of Solace
A direct narrative sequel to Casino Royale, continuing Bond's revenge arc.
- Released
- 2008
- Bond actor
- Daniel Craig
CC Tier: Mixed bag
Diamonds Are Forever
Connery's return for one last easy paycheck, and it shows. Fun in a campy way, with Las Vegas glitz, but the plot is thin and Blofeld feels defanged here.
About Diamonds Are Forever
Sean Connery's return to the role after Lazenby's single film, set largely in Las Vegas.
- Released
- 1971
- Bond actor
- Sean Connery
Spectre
Christoph Waltz as Blofeld should have been a slam dunk, but the retconning of every previous Craig villain into one scheme feels forced. There are good action beats, like the Rome car chase, buried in an overlong runtime.
About Spectre
Introduces Christoph Waltz as a reimagined Blofeld, tying together the villains of the previous Craig films.
- Released
- 2015
- Bond actor
- Daniel Craig
Live and Let Die
Moore's debut leans hard into blaxploitation tropes that have aged badly, though the boat chase through the bayou is genuinely well done. The title song by Paul McCartney is better remembered than the movie itself.
About Live and Let Die
Roger Moore's debut as Bond, incorporating blaxploitation film elements and voodoo imagery into the plot.
- Released
- 1973
- Bond actor
- Roger Moore
The Man with the Golden Gun
Christopher Lee makes a terrific villain with that literal golden gun, but the film wastes him on a plot padded with a returning Sheriff J.W. Pepper and a flying car stunt that feels out of place.
About The Man with the Golden Gun
Features Christopher Lee as the assassin villain Scaramanga, wielding the titular golden gun.
- Released
- 1974
- Bond actor
- Roger Moore
DD Tier: Mission, barely accomplished
A View to a Kill
Moore was visibly too old for the role by this point, and the age gap with Tanya Roberts is uncomfortable to watch now. Christopher Walken as Max Zorin is the one real bright spot in an otherwise tired entry.
About A View to a Kill
Roger Moore's final film as Bond, co-starring Christopher Walken as villain Max Zorin.
- Released
- 1985
- Bond actor
- Roger Moore
Die Another Day
The invisible car is the moment most fans point to when explaining why this era needed a reboot. Halle Berry and Toby Stephens try hard, but CGI surfing and a fencing duel can't save a script that loses the plot halfway through.
About Die Another Day
Brosnan's final Bond film, notable for its heavy use of CGI effects including an invisible car.
- Released
- 2002
- Bond actor
- Pierce Brosnan
Moonraker
Bond goes to space to cash in on Star Wars mania, and it's about as silly as that sounds. Jaws gets a redemption arc nobody asked for, and the laser battle finale feels like it wandered in from a different franchise.
About Moonraker
Sent Bond into space to capitalize on the science fiction boom following Star Wars' success.
- Released
- 1979
- Bond actor
- Roger Moore
How we ranked them
We weighed critical reception, how the films have aged, cultural impact, and where fan consensus has settled over decades of rewatches and arguments. Gadgets and theme songs matter, but so does whether the plot holds together and whether the villain is actually scary. Where fandom is genuinely split (looking at you, Moonraker apologists), we picked a side and explained why.
Think we got it wrong?
Drag all 25 james bond movies into your own tier list, then download the image or share a link.
Rank these yourselfFAQ
What is the best James Bond movie of all time?
Most critics and fans point to Goldfinger as the film that defined the formula, with From Russia with Love, Casino Royale, and Skyfall close behind as the other top contenders.
What is the worst James Bond movie?
Moonraker is the one most commonly cited as the franchise's low point, thanks to its space opera plot that chased Star Wars trends instead of staying grounded.
Which actor played James Bond the most times?
Roger Moore holds the record with seven films in the role, followed by Sean Connery.
Is Casino Royale a reboot or a sequel?
Casino Royale (2006) relaunched the franchise with Daniel Craig and a new continuity, functioning as an origin story rather than a sequel to the earlier films.
What order should I watch the Bond movies in?
Most people watch them in release order to see the series evolve, though many fans suggest starting with Goldfinger or Casino Royale if you just want the best entry points.
More rankings
Image credits
- GoldfingerCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Casino RoyaleCover: Wikipedia · Source
- From Russia with LoveCover: Wikipedia · Source
- SkyfallCover: Wikipedia · Source
- On Her Majesty's Secret ServiceCover: Wikipedia · Source
- The Spy Who Loved MeCover: Wikipedia · Source
- GoldenEyeCover: Wikipedia · Source
- The Living DaylightsCover: Wikipedia · Source
- ThunderballCover: Wikipedia · Source
- For Your Eyes OnlyCover: Wikipedia · Source
- No Time to DieCover: Wikipedia · Source
- You Only Live TwiceCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Licence to KillCover: Wikipedia · Source
- The World Is Not EnoughCover: Wikipedia · Source
- OctopussyCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Tomorrow Never DiesCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Quantum of SolaceCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Diamonds Are ForeverCover: Wikipedia · Source
- SpectreCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Live and Let DieCover: Wikipedia · Source
- The Man with the Golden GunCover: Wikipedia · Source
- A View to a KillCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Die Another DayCover: Wikipedia · Source
- MoonrakerCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Dr. NoCover: Wikipedia · Source