James Bond: The most financially successful 007 to date and overall box office numbers

While speculation continues over who will take over the 007 mantle from Daniel Craig in the next Bond movie, debate rages on, taking place in pubs, coffee shops and households across the UK and beyond - who is the best James Bond?

It’s a question for some akin to “What is your favourite song of all time”; the answer can be quite subjective; some prefer the gritty quality of the recent James Bond films with Daniel Craig at the helm, while others will tell you that the heyday of James Bond was with Roger Moore at the wheel of the franchise - and the Aston Martin. However that is contested by many who feel that by being the first James Bond, the late Sean Connery should be considered “the” definitive James Bond actor. 

While everyone has their favourite Bond movie and the reasons for their affinity towards one certain actor, NationalWorld’s TV and Film crew find themselves at times debating the matter as much as there is discourse about it in the world. To determine from a purely data-driven standpoint who, in terms of box office numbers, is the most successful Bond actor of all time, we’ve taken a look at the filmography of each actor and what their overall box office numbers were during their time in the role.

We’ve only stuck with those films that are part of the Eon Productions canon, so no “Never Say Never Again,” despite it being a Connery-led James Bond film - so while we eagerly await who will play the next 007, here is the most successful Bond - according to the box office.

How much has each James Bond actor made in total at the box office?

According to figures from Box Office Mojo and with figures adjusted for 2005 inflation, here’s how much each Bond actor made during their tenure as 007 at the box office.

Sean Connery

• Thunderball (1965): $848.1 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)
• Goldfinger (1964): $820.4 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)
• From Russia with Love (1963): $543.8 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)
• You Only Live Twice (1967): $514.2 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)
• Dr. No (1962): $448.8 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)
• Diamonds Are Forever (1971): $442.5 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)
• On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969): $291.5 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)

Total Box Office for Sean Connery: $3.9 billion (adjusted for 2005 inflation)

George Lazenby

• On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969): $291.5 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)

Total Box Office for George Lazenby: $291.5 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)

Roger Moore

• Moonraker (1979): $535.0 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)
• The Spy Who Loved Me (1977): $533.0 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)
• Live and Let Die (1973): $460.3 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)
• For Your Eyes Only (1981): $449.4 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)
• Octopussy (1983): $373.8 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)
• The Man with the Golden Gun (1974): $334.0 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)
• A View to a Kill (1985): $275.2 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)

Total Box Office for Roger Moore: $3.4 billion (adjusted for 2005 inflation)

Timothy Dalton

• The Living Daylights (1987): $313.5 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)
• Licence to Kill (1989): $250.9 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)

Total Box Office for Timothy Dalton: $564.4 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)

Pierce Brosnan

• GoldenEye (1995): $518.5 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)
• Tomorrow Never Dies (1997): $463.2 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)
• The World Is Not Enough (1999): $439.5 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)
• Die Another Day (2002): $465.4 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)

Total Box Office for Pierce Brosnan: $1.8 billion (adjusted for 2005 inflation)

Daniel Craig

• Casino Royale (2006): $589.4 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)
• Quantum of Solace (2008): $514.2 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)
• Skyfall (2012): $943.5 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)
• Spectre (2015): $725.5 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)
• No Time to Die (2021): $582 million (adjusted for 2005 inflation)

Total Box Office for Daniel Craig: $3.3 billion (adjusted for 2005 inflation)

Most successful James Bond at the box office

There is a reason many consider him the quintessential James Bond, but indeed Sean Connery has found the most success at the box office as 007 in terms of Eon-produced films. We were also rather surprised just how close it was between Roger Moore, another perennial favourite of the James Bond actors, and the most recent 007 Daniel Craig.

No surprise that George Lazenby was bottom of the heap; though considered by some purists as a definitive Bond, others felt that having Bond marry and try and have a normal life wasn’t something they wanted to see from their secret agent.