Every Sean Connery James Bond Movie, Ranked By Box Office

Sean Connery was crucial in making James Bond famous, and his seven films transformed the character into a massive box office success. While Ian Fleming’s Bond novels were popular, it was the 1962 film Dr. No that truly launched 007 as a pop culture icon. A lot of the movie’s success came from Connery’s sophisticated and charming performance.

After 60 years and 24 films, James Bond remains incredibly popular. While Sean Connery, the first Bond, eventually left the role—and even came back—each actor who’s played 007 has brought a unique take to the character. Five other actors have officially played Bond in the Eon films, but many still believe Connery’s original performance is the most iconic.

James Bond’s enduring popularity is largely due to his consistent success at the box office, a trend that began in the 1960s with Sean Connery. The first Bond films weren’t just well-received by critics; they were also huge financial hits. While each of Connery’s films earned slightly different amounts, they were all very profitable.

When you account for inflation using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor & Statistics, the original box office numbers for these movies look even more impressive. Several of Sean Connery’s James Bond films would have earned over a billion dollars in today’s money, and even the lowest-grossing ones still exceeded half a billion.

7. Never Say Never Again (1983) – $160 Million ($530 Million)

Sean Connery’s last performance as James Bond was unexpected, and Never Say Never Again is a unique part of the Bond story. It’s largely a remake of Thunderball, but it doesn’t officially fit within the main Bond film series (the Eon canon). Interestingly, it was released in the same year as another official Bond movie, Octopussy, which led to a period known as the “Battle of the Bonds.”

Although Never Say Never Again earned a solid $160 million (according to Box Office Mojo), it didn’t perform as well as Octopussy, which brought in almost $190 million. Adjusted for inflation, Never Say Never Again has made over $500 million, but it was actually Sean Connery’s lowest-grossing Bond film. The Bond franchise was struggling in 1983, and box office numbers were generally down.

While Never Say Never Again did reasonably well in theaters, it’s often seen as one of the weakest James Bond films. Like other Bond movies with similar issues – such as an older lead actor and a weak script – it just didn’t quite measure up, and its status as a non-official film didn’t help. Even Sean Connery’s return to the role couldn’t save it from its significant flaws.

6. Dr. No (1962) – $59 Million ($637 Million)

The first James Bond film, Dr. No, really needed to be a hit. Luckily, it was a thrilling adventure that changed spy movies forever. While it’s often considered one of the weaker films in Sean Connery’s run as 007, Dr. No is probably the most crucial movie in the whole Bond series.

The film was both a critical and commercial success. Released in 1962, it earned $59 million (according to Box Office Mojo), which is about $637 million in today’s money – a huge hit at any time. This success established a strong foundation for the Bond franchise and helped it thrive for the next sixty years. But this was only the start of its journey.

While Dr. No initially earned less at the box office than other films starring Sean Connery (until Never Say Never Again), it wasn’t the lowest-grossing Bond film overall. When adjusted for inflation, Dr. No actually surpassed the earnings of several later movies, though all Bond films have been commercially successful. Given that it was the very first Bond film, its relatively modest box office numbers are understandable.

5. From Russia With Love (1963) – $78 million ($831 Million)

After the popularity of Dr. No, Sean Connery reprised his role as James Bond in From Russia With Love. This sequel was even more thrilling and successful than the first film, quickly becoming a fan favorite and establishing many of the iconic elements that define the Bond series. It was also a huge financial success when it was released in 1963.

As a Bond fanatic, it’s fascinating to look back at how huge these films were even back then. From Russia With Love actually earned more at the box office than Dr. No – around $78 million originally, which translates to about $830 million today when you adjust for inflation. And get this: after just two films, Bond was almost at the $100 million mark! That was a massive achievement in the early ’60s, practically unheard of. If you factor in today’s money, the total gross is nearly a billion dollars – pretty incredible, right?

While the success of the first James Bond film certainly gave it a boost, From Russia With Love is a fantastic movie in its own right. Many fans still consider it a standout in the entire series, and few sequels have reached the same level of quality. Sean Connery deserves praise for his performance, especially since he had quickly become so closely associated with the role of 007.

4. Diamonds Are Forever (1971) – $116 Million ($944 Million)

When Sean Connery briefly left the James Bond series, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service didn’t perform well in theaters. His return in Diamonds Are Forever helped increase ticket sales. Although Diamonds Are Forever was Connery’s last official Bond film—his sixth in total—many viewers and critics felt it wasn’t as good as his previous films. Despite this, the movie still made a lot of money.

By the early 1970s, the James Bond films were earning around $116 million (according to Box Office Mojo). While a large number, this was actually less than some of the previous Bond movies when accounting for inflation. If adjusted for today’s values, Diamonds Are Forever would have grossed over $900 million – a remarkable achievement, especially considering the series had seen ups and downs at that time.

Diamonds Are Forever wasn’t quite as successful as some earlier Bond films like Thunderball, though it did earn more money than On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Overall, the film’s performance at the box office, much like the movie itself, was fairly average.

3. You Only Live Twice (1967) – $111 Million ($1.09 Billion)

Even though You Only Live Twice is one of the more lighthearted films in the James Bond series, it was hugely successful. By the fifth movie, Sean Connery was very comfortable as Bond, and he continued to play the role with confidence and style. Despite the increasingly outlandish plot, Bond remained charming and sophisticated, and audiences flocked to see it, making it a major box office hit.

As a huge Bond fan, I remember when You Only Live Twice came out! It made a whopping $111 million at the box office – that’s according to Box Office Mojo, and it was the third Bond film in a row to pass the $100 million mark. When you adjust for inflation, that’s over a billion dollars today! While it marked the end of Sean Connery’s time as the iconic 007, the movie still had a lot of appeal and kept fans like me hooked. Interestingly, it actually did better with audiences financially than with critics, which I think shows how much people loved Connery as Bond.

2. Goldfinger (1964) – $125 Million ($1.3 Billion)

Many consider Goldfinger to be the best James Bond film, and it’s easy to understand why. The script is sharp and engaging, and the villain, Goldfinger, is one of the most memorable in the entire series. This film arrived right when Sean Connery was at his most popular as Bond, and it was a huge success for the franchise, finally earning over $100 million – a milestone achieved in just three movies.

With a total earning of $125 million (according to Box Office Mojo), Goldfinger would be worth approximately $1.3 billion today. The film’s success was largely due to its high quality, and it’s considered not only a great James Bond movie, but a fantastic film overall. While later Bond films starring Sean Connery earned even more, Goldfinger still stands out as exceptional.

1. Thunderball (1965) – $141 Million ($1.4 Billion)

Following three successful films, James Bond was back in Thunderball. This fourth installment was bigger and more thrilling than ever before, and it showed on screen – it was the most expensive 007 movie made up to that point. Thunderball built on the action and spectacular locations fans loved, and it earned a huge return at the box office.

Earning $141 million at the box office (according to Box Office Mojo), Thunderball remains one of the most financially successful James Bond films ever made, even when adjusted for inflation. Its earnings total almost $1.5 billion in today’s money, making it a huge hit not just for the Bond franchise, but for all of popular cinema.

2025-12-22 01:22