The James Bond film series is based on the fictional character of MI6 agent James Bond (code designation "007") appearing in the novels of Ian Fleming.
Earlier films were based on Fleming's novels and short stories, followed later by films with original storylines. The franchise remains one of the longest continually running film series in history, having been in ongoing production from 1962 to 2010 with a six-year hiatus between 1989 and 1995. EON Productions has produced 22 films, at an average of about one every two years, usually produced at Pinewood Studios. The films have grossed just over US$ 12 billion at the worldwide box office, making it easily the highest-grossing film series ever (well ahead of both Star Wars and Harry Potter, which only appear ahead of Bond if inflation is ignored).
Previous attempts to adapt the James Bond novels resulted in a 1954 television episode of Climax!, based on the first novel, Casino Royale, and starring American actor Barry Nelson as "Jimmy Bond". Ian Fleming desired to go one step further and approached producer Sir Alexander Korda to make a film adaptation of either Live and Let Die or Moonraker. Although Korda was initially interested, he later withdrew.
In 1959, producer Albert R. Broccoli expressed interest in adapting the Bond novels, but his colleague Irving Allen was unenthusiastic. In 1961, Broccoli, now partnered with Harry Saltzman, purchased the film rights to all the Bond novels (except Casino Royale) from Fleming. However, numerous Hollywood film studios did not want to fund the films, finding it "too British" or "too blatantly sexual". The producers wanted US$1 million to either adapt Thunderball or Dr. No, and reached a deal with United Artists in July 1961. The two producers set up EON Productions and began production of Dr. No.
James Bond movies
Help
