Secret service agent James Bond is finally getting another outing, nearly four years after his last appearance in Spectre.
The cast of the 25th official 007 film were announced at a launch earlier today, with Daniel Craig reprising his role for the last time as the titular spy.
Ben Wishaw and Ralph Fiennes are returning as Q and M respectively, while there are roles for Rami Malek, Naomie Harris, Lea Seydoux, Rory Kinnear and Jeffrey Wright, who will play Felix Leiter for the first time since 2008's Quantum of Solace.
With news of the highly anticipated new film now out, it's a good time to catch up on all the agent's past escapades ahead of its April 2020 release.
That said, with so many films in the Bond canon it can be confusing knowing where to start, especially if you haven't watched from the beginning. Here, we take a look at how to watch the James Bond films in chronological order, which actor played him and, perhaps most importantly, who the villain was. Despite the talents of David Niven and Peter Sellers, we haven't included 1967's Casino Royale in the list, as typically it isn't considered a 'proper' Bond.
James Bond films in chronological order
Sean Connery
- Dr No (released 1962)
The first ever James Bond film sees the spy investigate the disappearance of a fellow agent in Jamaica, where he meets Dr No, who is plotting to disrupt the American space programme.
- From Russia with Love (released 1963)
Connery returns as Bond to help a Soviet embassy employee defect in exchange for a Soviet encryption device – but it turns out to all be part of a revenge plot by S.P.E.C.T.R.E. over Dr No's death.
- Goldfinger (released 1964)
Bond is sent to investigate gold smuggling by magnate Auric Goldfinger, and stumbles upon his plan to contaminate the gold reserve at Fort Knox.
- Thunderball (released 1965)
Bond encounters villain Emilio Largo in the Bahamas during a mission to recover two stolen nuclear warheads taken by S.P.E.C.T.R.E. The evil organisation is ransoming the West, with the threat of bombing a major city.
- You Only Live Twice (released 1967)
The first film in which Bond meets the head of S.P.E.C.T.R.E., supervillain Ernst Stavro Blofeld. The pair meet during a mission in Japan to investigate the disappearance of spacecraft in orbit.
George Lazenby
- On Her Majesty's Secret Service (released 1969)
In Lazenby's only appearance in the franchise, Bond marries the Contessa Teresa di Vicenzo, the daughter of the head of the Union Corse, and goes undercover to investigate Blofeld's shadowy allergy research in Switzerland.
Sean Connery (again)
- Diamonds are Forever (released 1971)
Connery's return sees our hero investigate a diamond smuggling operation where he uncovers yet another secret plot by his old foe Blofeld.
Roger Moore
- Live and Let Die (released 1973)
Roger Moore's first turn as Bond sees him attempting to stop a Harlem drug kingpin – known at first as Mr Big, then as Dr Kananga – and his plans to carve out a monopoly on heroin supply.
- The Man with the Golden Gun (released 1974)
Bond believes he is the next target of hitman Francisco Scaramanga and heads off to investigate, all while trying to recover a device that can harness the power of the sun.
- The Spy Who Loved Me (released 1977)
While investigating the disappearance of submarines with nuclear warheads, Bond uncovers plans by villain Karl Stromberg to destroy the world and create a new underwater civilisation. He also comes face to face with deadly assassin Jaws for the first time.
- Moonraker (released 1979)
While investigating the mid-air theft of a space shuttle, Bond meets Hugo Drax, who plans to commit global genocide and recreate life on his space station. It's not unlike the plot of The Spy Who Loved Me, simply in space – and look, Jaws is back too.
- For Your Eyes Only (released 1981)
Our suave hero is assigned a mission to locate a missing communications device before it falls into the hands of villain Aristotle Kristatos, who is planning to sell it on to the KGB.
- Octopussy (released 1983)
Bond is sent to investigate the death of a fellow 00 agent where he uncovers a plot to blow-up a US Air Force base, which is being led by Afghan prince Kamal Khan and his mysterious associate Octopussy.
- A View to a Kill (released 1985)
007 is assigned to investigate a suspected horse racing scam. It leads him to the door of villain Maz Zorin, who plans to destroy California's Silicon Valley to give him a monopoly over the microchip industry.
Timothy Dalton
- The Living Daylights (released 1987)
Bond helps KGB officer Georgi Koskov defect, but the general is recaptured and Bond investigates. During his mission, he finds Koskov's defection was staged and he is, in fact, in league with arms dealer Brad Whitaker.
- Licence to Kill (released 1989)
Bond quits MI6 so he can pursue vengeance against Franz Sanchez after the drug lord maims longtime friend and ally Felix Leiter and kills the CIA man's new bride, Della.
Pierce Brosnan
- GoldenEye (released 1995)
MI6 agent Alec Trevelyan is believed to be dead after being captured during a mission in the 1980s. A decade later, mysterious forces hijack a nuclear space weapon, and it is down to Bond to stop it being used to attack Britain.
- Tomorrow Never Dies (released 1997)
Brosnan's second film as Bond sees our titular hero travel to south east Asia to prevent Elliot Carve from engineering World War Three between the UK and China.
- The World Is Not Enough (released 1999)
Bond is assigned to protect oil heiress Elektra from her former kidnapper, the terrorist Renard, after her billionaire father is assassinated. During the mission, Bond uncovers a plan to trigger a nuclear explosion to destroy Istanbul.
- Die Another Day (released 2002)
007 is betrayed in North Korea, where he is captured and imprisoned. Released later in a prisoner exchange, Bond suspects he was double-crossed by an agent and goes to investigate. Uncovering a connection between a North Korean and British diamond mogul Gustav Graves, Bond battles to stop a satellite weapon attacking South Korea.
Daniel Craig
- Casino Royale (released 2006)
Set at the beginning of Bond's career, Daniel Craig's secret agent has received his licence to kill and his sent on his first mission as 007. He is tasked with bankrupting terrorist Le Chiffre in a high stakes poker game – falling in love with treasury agent Vesper Lynd in the process.
- Quantum of Solace (released 2008)
Out for revenge for the death of Lynd, Bond and ally Camille Montes eventually track down wealthy businessman Dominic Greene, a leading member of Quantum, a mysterious organisation which aims to seize control of Bolivia's water supply.
- Skyfall (released 2012, read our review)
After MI6 is attacked, Bond is tasked with destroying the threat which he soon learns is part of a plot by ex-agent Raoul Silva to kill M in revenge for betraying him.
- Spectre (released 2015, read our review)
The most recent Bond film sees the spy pitted against his past and the global terrorist organisation Spectre. His old foe Blofeld returns, and Bond discovers he was behind the events of the previous three films.
