James Bond movies in order

Twenty-five official films across sixty years. Only five of them tell a continuous story, which makes the starting point more important than the order.

Updated 4 August 2026 · 28 titles tracked

Bond is not a saga. For most of its run the films share a character and almost nothing else — no continuity, no ageing, no consequences carried between films. You can watch Goldfinger and then Skyfall and miss nothing.

That makes "what order" the wrong question for most of the series. The right question is where to start, and the answer depends on what you want.

Every James Bond film in order

Grouped by actor. Dates are UK premieres, which came first for most Eon films.

Open the interactive James Bond list

The one run you must watch in order

The Daniel Craig era is the exception, and it is not a small one. Casino Royale reboots the character to his first mission, and the five films from there to No Time to Die form a single story with a genuine ending — the only time Bond has ever had one.

Watch those five in sequence: Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, Spectre, No Time to Die. Quantum in particular picks up minutes after Casino Royale ends and barely functions on its own.

Where to start

Three good answers, depending on the viewer.

Casino Royale (2006) — the best entry point overall. It assumes nothing, it is a genuinely great film, and it starts a complete five-film arc.
Goldfinger (1964) — the best entry to the classic era. This is where the formula is fully assembled, and it is the film every parody is parodying.
Dr. No (1962) — if you want the whole thing from the beginning. Slower and stranger than what followed, and interesting for exactly that reason.

The eras, briefly

Knowing the six actors is most of what you need to navigate the series.

Connery (1962–1971) — six films that build the template. Goldfinger and From Russia with Love are the peaks.
Lazenby (1969) — one film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, with the only genuinely devastating ending in the classic run. Much better than its reputation.
Moore (1973–1985) — seven films, lightest in tone. The Spy Who Loved Me is the one to watch.
Dalton (1987–1989) — two harder, colder films that audiences were not ready for and that have aged well.
Brosnan (1995–2002) — GoldenEye is excellent; the rest decline steadily toward the invisible car.
Craig (2006–2021) — the reboot, and the only continuous story.

What about the non-Eon films?

Two films sit outside the official series: the 1967 Casino Royale, a chaotic spoof with several actors playing Bond, and Never Say Never Again (1983), a remake of Thunderball that a rights dispute allowed Sean Connery to make at 52. Neither connects to anything. Both are curiosities rather than part of the run.

Common questions

What order should I watch the James Bond movies in?

Release order works, but for most of the series the films are standalone and can be watched in any order. The exception is the Daniel Craig era — Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, Spectre and No Time to Die must be watched in sequence.

How many James Bond movies are there?

Twenty-five official Eon Productions films from Dr. No (1962) to No Time to Die (2021), plus two non-Eon films: the 1967 Casino Royale spoof and Never Say Never Again (1983).

Which James Bond movie should I watch first?

Casino Royale (2006) is the best entry point — it assumes no prior knowledge and begins a complete five-film story. For the classic era, start with Goldfinger (1964).

Do I need to watch the Bond films in order?

Only the Daniel Craig films. The earlier eras are episodic and share no continuity, so they can be watched in any order.