10 Best James Bond Movies That Didn’t Star Sean Connery, Ranked

With No Time To Die released in 2021, the legendary James Bond franchise hit its 27th film after over six decades. Sean Connery set the pace as the first actor to play James Bond in a theatrical film (1962’s Dr. No.), setting off one of the most iconic film franchises in the world. Connery is also one of the actors with the most appearances in the franchise, starring in seven Bond films, including Thunderball, From Russia With Love, and Goldfinger. He finished his run in the franchise with 1983’s Never Say Never Again.

While he had a good run with the Bond movies, other talented actors have perfectly portrayed the world’s most popular fictional secret agent. The franchise has evolved over the past six decades, introducing new actors to play the iconic spy. Connery handed the reins to Roger Moore, followed by Timothy Dalton, and Pierce Brosnan, while George Lazenby appeared in only one Bond movie in 1969. In 2006, Daniel Craig introduced a new Bond era with Casino Royale, fortifying the franchise’s status as a giant in the action genre. While thirsty fans await the announcement of the next actor to play the British spy, explore these outstanding interpretations of the iconic role.

10 ‘Licence to Kill’ (1989)

Directed by John Glen

After rendering an impressive performance in The Living Daylights, Dalton reprised the role of the MI6 agent in Licence to Kill, his second and final portrayal of the iconic character. Bond resigns from MI6 in this installment to embark on a revenge mission against Franz Sanches (Robert Davi), the drug lord who ordered a hit on Bond’s friend Felix Leiter (David Hedison). Other notable stars in License to Kill include Carey Lowell as Pam Bouvier Bond Girl, Anthony Zerbe as a henchman, Desmond Llewelyn as Q, Caroline Bliss as Miss Moneypenny, and Robert Brown as M.

Dalton’s interpretation of the role received critical acclaim and was deemed an entertaining addition to the franchise. However, the film performed poorly at the box office due to strong competition from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Batman, and Lethal Weapon 2. Licence to Kill became the first film in the Bond series to deviate from using the title of an Ian Fleming book. Interestingly, Dalton would have been Connery’s direct successor, but he declined the offer to play Bond several times.

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9 ‘Live and Let Die’ (1973)

Directed by Guy Hamilton

When Dalton declined the offer to play Bond for different reasons, Moore got the role and embodied it perfectly, becoming one of the best Bond actors with a record of seven movies in the franchise. In Moore’s first outing as 007, the legendary MI6 agent finds himself in a world of gangsters, drug barons, and voodoo while investigating the deaths of three British agents. Though it’s not exactly the best Bond film, Live and Let Die performed well critically and commercially, scoring 67% on the Tomatometer and 6.7/10 on IMDb.

Moore’s 007 in this entry is also known as the first to have an African-American Bond girl, Rosie Carver, played by Gloria Hendry. Decades after his last Bond film, Moore still holds the record as the actor with the most appearances as Bond in the Eon-produced entries. His record is only matched by the first Bond actor if you count Connery’s non-Eon entry – Never Say Never Again.

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8 ‘Octopussy’ (1983)

Directed by John Glen

The 13th entry in the James Bond film series produced by Eon Productions, Octopussy highlights Moore’s effortless skill set at smoothly taking on seemingly hard tasks. The plot follows Bond’s mission to uncover a notorious jewel and art thief, leading to several memorable events. Octopussy earned critical praise for the striking action sequences and cast performance.

In addition to Moore, the film boasts a talented cast, including Maud Adams as Octopussy, Louis Jourdan as Kamal Khan, Steven Berkoff as General Orlov, and Kabir Bedi as Gobinda. Octopussy was released the same year with the non-Eon-produced Never Say Never Again, starring Connery in his final outing as Bond. Both films achieved commercial success, with Octopussy leading with $187.5 million in box office earnings against its $27.5 million budget.

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7 ‘Die Another Day’ (2002)

Directed by Lee Tamahori

Pierce Brosnan gave fans a memorable performance in his fourth and final outing as James Bond with Halle Berry co-starring as Bond Girl. In this 20th installment of the Eon-produced James Bond film series, 007 is captured and tortured in a North Korean prison for over a year before he is traded in a prisoner exchange. Bond’s quest to reveal a traitor in British intelligence unveils an exciting adventure.

Die Another Day stands out with an array of cool gadgets, including invisible cars. The film also boasts several memorable moments, such as the captivating fencing scene and driving through an ice palace during an Aston Martin chase. In addition to Brosnan and Berry, Live Another Day also stars John Cleese in his only appearance as Q and Samantha Bond in her final outing as Miss Moneypenny. Despite garnering mixed reviews from critics, the film grossed $431.9 million at the box office. It’s great campy fun, and better than its reputation would have you believe.

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6 ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ (1977)

Directed by Lewis Gilbert

After his first two rocky outings as Bond, Moore redeemed himself as one of the best actors in the franchise with his third installment in The Spy Who Loved Me. The film projects an exciting antagonist – Karl Stromberg (Curt Jürgens), a megalomaniac whose mission is to destroy the world and build a new one under the sea. More so, Jaws, Stromberg’s henchman played by Richard Kiel, was introduced to the franchise and would become one of the strongest and badass villains in Bond films.

From cinematography to outstanding stunt work and intense romance, Moore hit the right spots in the action genre with his performance in The Spy Who Loved Me. The undeniable chemistry between Moore and Barbara Bach, who played KGB agent Anya Amasova (Bond girl), is one of the most endearing in the history of the franchise. The film was a massive box-office success, grossing $185.4 million against its $13.5 million budget.

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5 ‘The World Is Not Enough’ (1999)

Directed by Michael Apted

Following his first two explosive Bond films, Brosnan delivered another award-winning performance in 1999’s The World Is Not Enough. The original story explores the aftermath of the assassination of billionaire Sir Robert King by a terrorist and Bond’s mission to keep his seemingly innocent daughter Elektra (Sophie Marceau) safe. Sharon Stone and Vera Farmiga were considered for the role of Elektra before Sophie Marceau‘s performance in Firelight earned her the role.

Other supporting cast members in The World Is Not Enough include Robert Carlyle as Victor “Renard” Zokas and Denise Richards as Dr. Christmas Jones (Bond girl). While the film received mixed reviews, scoring 51% on the Tomatometer, it grossed $361.8 million at the global box office against its $135 million budget. Brosnan also won the Empire Award’s Best Actor for his performance.

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4 ‘GoldenEye’ (1995)

Directed by Martin Campbell

After turning down the offer to join the franchise in previous years, Brosnan made a statement with his debut Bond outing, putting him on a par with the legendary Connery as one of the most charismatic actors to play the iconic role. A perfect blend of action and humor, Bond’s connection to the 006 agent-turned-villain culminated in a compelling plot. GoldenEye is the first Bond film to feature the great Judi Dench as M, replacing Robert Brown. She is also the first woman to step into the iconic role of Bond’s boss.

With performances from supporting stars such as Sean Bean as Alec Trevelyan (006), Izabella Scorupco as Natalya Simonova, and Famke Janssen as Xenia Onatopp, GoldenEye received generally positive reviews following its release. Fans went through a long hiatus before the film showed up, and it was worth the wait. Several years after its premiere, GoldenEye still holds sway as one of the best James Bond films ever made.

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3 ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’ (1969)

Directed by Peter R. Hunt

With no prior acting experience, filling the big shoes Connery left behind as a Bond actor was no cakewalk for Lazenby. However, he impressed audiences enough to get more offers to play Bond. The story focuses on a dangerous villain who is out to hold the world to ransom. Lazenby’s Bond became the first to get married in the franchise, but in a devastating turn of events, his wife was killed in a drive-by shooting. Overall, the film offers an exciting experience and a relatable version of 007.

Before On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Lazenby only appeared in commercials but subsequently built a robust acting career with notable film and television roles. Lazenby is the only actor who declined subsequent offers to appear in more Bond films after his first and lone outing as 007. For his performance in Peter R. Hunt‘s directorial debut, Lazenby scored the New Star of the Year – Actor award nomination at the 1970 Golden Globe Award ceremony.

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2 ‘Casino Royale’ (2006)

Directed by Martin Campbell

Craig had the standards of legendary actors to uphold when he signed up to play 007 and his first offering blew critics off their feet. A memorable Bond outing, Casino Royale not only launched a new era in the franchise but portrayed a physically intimidating 007. Craig’s Bond also delved into the origin story of the iconic character with a better representation of the novel’s description of the iconic role.

It’s no coincidence that Craig dominates the top three best James Bond movies that didn’t star Connery. Craig’s emergence as Brosnan’s replacement raised eyebrows from naysayers who thought he was too blond and not tall enough. However, he has delivered outstanding performances in the iconic role, proving himself a worthy 007 in the new millennium. The palpable chemistry between Craig and Eva Green, who played his love interest Vesper Lynd, contributed to the film’s critical and commercial success. Casino Royale grossed $616 million at the box office.

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1 ‘Skyfall’ (2012)

Directed by Sam Mendes

Beyond being a box office asset, Skyfall was widely rated the best James Bond movie upon its premiere in late 2012. In this installment, Bond is forced out of retirement after an attack on MI6, leading to some of his most entertaining espionage operations. Led by Craig in his third Bond outing, Skyfall boasts an ensemble cast consisting of Javier Bardem (Raoul Silva), Ralph Fiennes (Gareth Mallory), Naomie Harris (Eve Moneypenny), and Dench in her final depiction of M.

Skyfall set a few records, including the highest-grossing James Bond film of all time with a record $1 billion box office earnings. Craig gave this entry his best with meaningful help from Sam Mendes who received praise for his directorial effort. Bardem also joined the top Bond villains with his depiction of Raol. As such, their collective efforts earned several accolades, including five Academy Awards nominations. Skyfall is a good pick if you love extraordinary action sequences and stunning cinematography.

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