In preparation for the 25th entry in the James Bond franchise, No Time to Die, fans will be looking to revisit the earlier 007 movies on streaming services. No Time to Die will pick up Daniel Craig’s version of Bond after the events of 2015’s Spectre with co-stars Lashana Lynch (Captain Marvel), Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody), and Ana de Armas (Knives Out) joining previous Bond castmates Ralph Fiennes, Christoph Waltz, Léa Seydoux, and Ben Whishaw. Cary Joji Fukunaga (True Detective season 1) will assume the directing duties from Sam Mendes who directed the previous two installments.
The early days of the 58-year movie franchise introduced some classic characters that have since returned, but on the whole they were more episodic, aside from a few Easter eggs for sharp-eyed viewers. After Craig assumed the role in 2006’s Casino Royale, more direct connections between films gave Bond a five-film story arc that is rumored to conclude with No Time to Die.
Eon Productions produced the main 25 films, with six actors in the lead role and a total gross nearing $7 billion. Sean Connery originated the role in 1962’s Dr. No and returned for five sequels, ending with 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever. The only break in Connery’s reign was On Her Majesty’s Secret Service featuring George Lazenby’s only appearance as Bond in 1969; it was the lowest grossing film in Bond’s history. Roger Moore carried the role for seven movies from 1971-1985 before Timothy Dalton played Bond in two films, The Living Daylights (1987) and Licence to Kill (1989). Four Pierce Brosnan Bond films stretched from 1995-2002 until Craig’s darker, grittier take on the character started in 2006. Additionally, two non-Eon-produced movies, which are not considered part of the main 25 Bond movies, include a raucous comedy starring David Niven, Casino Royale (1967), and a more typical version of Bond with Sean Connery, Never Say Never Again (1983).
All of the Bond films are available to rent on Amazon, AppleTV, and Google Play, but for subscribers, only the more recent films are available. Netflix has the four Pierce Brosnan films, and MaxGo subscribers can check out the first two Daniel Craig entries. Check out the list below for all the options.
Netflix
- GoldenEye (1995)
- Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
- The World Is Not Enough (1999)
- Die Another Day (2002)
MaxGo
- Casino Royale (2006)
- Quantum of Solace (2008)
- (Non-Eon Film) Casino Royale (1967)
FXNow/FUBO TV
- Spectre (2015)
With the fan theories that Rami Malek's villain character, Safin, is actually Dr. No and Christoph Waltz's return as Blofeld, it may be worth the $2.99 rental fee on Amazon for Dr. No (1962) and From Russia with Love (1963) to see the first appearances of those characters, and fans with access to MaxGo and FXNow can catch up on all the story so far from the current iteration of the character. No Time to Die's April 8 release date is fast approaching, and given the influx of new talent and the conclusion of Craig's time as Bond, fans of MI6's most famous agent have plenty of reason to be excited for the next chapter.
