It's a strange recurring trait that the third James Bond movie of a given 007 performer tends to be their best. The James Bond movie franchise will mark its 60th anniversary in 2022, making it one of the longest-running film series in the world. The runaway success of the early Sean Connery 007 adventures made Bond one of the first blockbuster franchises, and while the character has gone up and down in terms of popularity, the series has always found a way to reinvent itself across the decades.
Daniel Craig capped off his run with 2021's No Time To Die, his fifth outing as Bond. More than any other entry, No Time To Die broke some major rules, including ending with the first death of Bond himself in the EON series. Everyone from Henry Cavill to Henry Golding has been tipped to take over for the next entry, and the introduction of the new Bond will no doubt see the series perform another reinvention of the formula. Just like Craig's Casino Royale from 2006 wiped the slate clean following 2002's Die Another Day, the next James Bond adventure will similarly need to add some fresh ingredients into the mix.
James Bond devotees have their favorite actors and entries; the likes of Casino Royale or On Her Majesty's Secret Service are commonly cited as series highlights, while noted fan Christopher Nolan's favorite Bond actor is the lesser-sung Timothy Dalton. One intriguing recurring element for any 007 performer who makes it past a couple of outings is their third adventure is usually their best. Goldfinger is arguably the most iconic of Connery's era, The Spy Who Loved Me is the highlight of Roger Moore's run while Skyfall became an instant classic for Craig.
While not everybody will agree on those rankings - with Connery and Craig themselves feeling From Russia With Love is the best Bond adventure - Goldfinger, Spy Who Loved Me and Skyfall are all held in high esteem. The simple reason Bond actor's third movies are their best is down to the fact they've had a couple of films to get comfortable in the part, and the movies are tailored to their strengths. Goldfinger is an important entry that built on what worked with Dr. No and From Russia With Love - including the exotic locales, dry quips, memorable villains and gadgets - while dialing up the scale. Connery was also at his most comfortable as 007, having established for himself what made the character tick.
Moore's first 007 movies had trouble getting out from Connery's shadow; Live And Let Die avoided classic Connery tropes like ordering his martini "shaken, not stirred," while The Man With The Golden Gun saw him try (and fail) to portray a tougher 007 like his predecessor. It was clear his charm and humor were what audiences responded to, and The Spy Who Loved Me set out to be the ultimate globetrotting adventure while playing up the romance and setpieces. Moore's third outing was also in danger of being the last following The Man With The Golden Gun's underperformance, so the crew worked hard to make remind audiences what they loved about the franchise.
For many, Craig's best is between either Casino Royale or Skyfall, but the latter - which celebrated the 50th anniversary of the series - often comes out on top. Again, Craig had a couple of films to get comfortable in the role, with the movie tailormade around his strengths. It also reintroduced Moneypenny and Q, featured a more introspective story - where the need for a man like Bond is questioned in the modern-day world - and a classic villain in Silva. Its blockbuster entertainment like only the Bond series could pull off.
Of course, the belief that Bond actors' third movies are their best isn't foolproof. Sadly, neither George Lazenby nor Dalton got a third adventure, while Pierce Brosnan's The World Is Not Enough is a dud. It's got Brosnan his darkest scene as Bond and featured some fun moments and a great female villain, but overall, it suffered from a dull story and rigid adherence to the series' formula. Brosnan's first Bond movie GoldenEye is held up as his best, but his later outings are each flawed in their own way.