Sean Connery not only helped make James Bond a household name, but his seven films also made 007 a box office juggernaut. Ian Fleming’s novels were bestsellers, but it wasn’t until the appearance of Bond in 1962. Dr. No that the superspy has truly become a pop culture phenomenon. Connery’s suave performance was a big part of the film’s success.
Six decades and 24 films later, Bond’s star has not faded. Although Connery has left the role (and returned, and then gone again), each version of 007 has brought something new to the table. Five other actors have played the role in the official Eon films, but many would argue that Connery’s original performance remains unmatched in terms of legacy.
One of the reasons Bond has stuck around for so long is its box office potential, and that began in the 1960s with Connery’s first appearances. The formative James Bond films were not only critical darlings, but they also made big money. Sean Connery’s Bond films have fluctuated overall, but they have all been very successful.
Adjusting the films’ original box office figures for inflation (via the U.S. Bureau of Labor & Statistics) also reveals some interesting twists and turns and further illustrates the films’ success. In today’s money, several of Connery’s Bond shows grossed over a billion, and none grossed less than half a billion.
7
Never Say Never Again (1983) – $160 million ($530 million)
Sean Connery’s final appearance as Bond was a surprise, and Never say never again is an interesting addition to the character’s story. Essentially a remake of Thunderclap, the film exists outside of the Eon canonand was released the same year as the official Bond film, Octopus. This kicked off what eventually became known as the Bond Battle.
Never say never again got a respectable $160 million (via Box office mojo), but lost for Octopus, which grossed nearly $190 million. In modern money, the non-canon Bond film grossed over $500 million, but was actually the lowest-grossing 007 film starring Sean Connery. The franchise was at its lowest point in 1983, so the box office was poor across the board.
Never say never again was a hit film. However, it is overshadowed by the official films and is generally considered one of Bond’s worst outings. It suffered from the same problems as its counterpart Eon (an aging star and poor writing), but its unofficial status didn’t do it any favors. Connery’s return wasn’t enough to overcome his glaring problems.
6
Dr. No (1962) – $59 million ($637 million)
The very first Eon James Bond film, Dr. No, was under enormous pressure to succeed. Fortunately, the first installment was a thrilling adventure that completely reinvented the spy movie genre. Although it generally ranks at the bottom of Connery’s tenure, at 007, Dr. No is arguably the most important film in the entire franchise.
Not only did it receive great reviews, but it also made a lot of money. In 1962, the film grossed $59 million (Box office mojo), which is equivalent to approximately $637 million today. It’s a blockbuster in any era, and this put Bond on the right track moving forward in the next six decades. But it was only the beginning.
Dr. No was the lowest-grossing Connery Bond film (until Never say never again), but was not the least profitable of the entire franchise. Inflation would actually propel Dr. No on several of his successorseven though all the Bond films were made respectably. Given that this was the first film, it makes sense that Dr. No would have a relatively modest box office.
5
From Russia with Love (1963) – $78 million ($831 million)
Following the success of Dr. NoConnery returned for another Bond adventure in From Russia with love. Raise the stakes and offer more enthusiasm, the first 007 sequel managed to blow its predecessor out of the water. While establishing many Bond tropes that are still beloved today, the 1963 film was a box office sensation.
From Russia with love exceeds Dr. No when he won $78 million (Box office mojo), which represents approximately $830 million after 60 years of inflation. In just two payments, The bond almost reached the $100 million marka feat still unheard of in the early 1960s. Today, this would represent nearly a billion dollars gross in total.
The enthusiasm generated by the first film undoubtedly helped, but From Russia with love is an excellent film in its own right. IIt’s still fondly regarded as one of the highlights of the entire franchise.and few sequels have been able to match its quality. Connery also deserves credit for this door, considering he had become the face of 007.
4
Diamonds Are Forever (1971) – $116 million ($944 million)
Connery’s notable departure caused On Her Majesty’s Secret Service sag at the box office, but its return in Diamonds are forever gave him a boost. Marking Connery’s sixth and final official appearance as Bond, Diamonds are forever there was a noticeable drop in qualityespecially compared to previous releases. However, the box office was still quite strong.
In the early 1970s, the box office reached $116 million (Box office mojo). However, this was still less than previous sequels, which actually grossed more before inflation. With today’s money, Diamonds are forever earned over $900 millionan impressive feat considering the franchise’s fluctuating status at this point.
In a way, Diamonds are forever could be considered a disappointment. He hasn’t caught up with the films like Thunderclapbut it went beyond On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Much like the quality of the film itself, the box office for the 1971 film can be described as mixed.
3
You Only Live Twice (1967) – $111 million ($1.09 billion)
Although it’s a somewhat goofy installment in the franchise, You only live twice was a huge success. By the fifth film, Connery was well established in the role, and he continued to play Bond with aplomb. Even when embarking on his silliest adventure, Bond remained the suave super-spy. The public came in droves to make it a blockbuster.
You only live twice grossed $111 million (Box office mojo), the third consecutive 007 film to gross $100 million. After inflation, that represents a little over a billion. Although the film ended Connery’s heyday in the role, he clearly had enough charm to keep fans interested. Connery’s first swan song as Bond did better financially than critically.
2
Goldfinger (1964) – $125 million ($1.3 billion)
golden finger is arguably the greatest James Bond film, and it’s easy to see why. The writing crackles with life and Bond’s titular nemesis remains one of 007’s best villains. Connery’s tenure was reaching its peakas is the franchise’s impressive box office. In just three films, James Bond finally crossed the $100 million mark.
Ending with a total of $125 million (Box office mojo), golden finger earned about $1.3 billion in today’s money. Its box office success was undoubtedly propelled by the quality of the film, and golden finger succeeds not just as a Bond film, but as a piece of cinema in general. Another Connery Bond movie would make more money, but golden finger remains unmatched.
1
Thunderball (1965) – $141 million ($1.4 billion)
After a trilogy of classics, James Bond returns for his fourth adventure in Thunderclap. Offer more thrills with a bigger budget, the aquatic action film was the biggest 007 film to date and it hit the screen. Drawing on the franchise’s popular action scenes and settings, Thunderclap earned every penny of its huge box office.
With a box office of 141 million dollars (Box office mojo), Thunderclap is still the first or second highest-grossing Bond film of all time after inflation. Earning nearly $1.5 billion in modern money, the film is not only a blockbuster James Bond standards, but by any measure applied to popular cinema.
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