Complete List of James Bond Actors and Franchise Earnings
The James Bond film series has featured six actors in the role of 007 since 1962: Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig. The franchise has generated over $7 billion in global box office revenue across its core Eon Productions films, with additional revenue from licensing and merchandise handled by MGM and Amazon MGM Studios. The most recent Eon Bond film, No Time to Die, was released in 2021 and starred Daniel Craig in his fifth and final portrayal, with box office totals reported by Forbes.
Each actor's compensation package has varied significantly, from early low-fixed contracts to backend profit participation and multi-picture deals. Sean Connery's initial pay for Dr. No was modest, but backend points on later films and licensing revenues made him one of the highest-paid actors of his era. Daniel Craig's final contract for the five-film deal was reported to include a base salary of around $100 million, with additional profit participation and backend points structured through corporate entities documented in filings reviewed by SEC.
Actor Contracts, Pay Structures, and Net Worth
Behind-the-scenes compensation structures for Bond actors typically involve base salary, profit participation, and backend points negotiated through production companies and personal service agreements. George Lazenby received a fixed salary for his single film On Her Majesty's Secret Service, while Roger Moore's multi-picture deals included escalating pay and profit participation clauses. Pierce Brosnan's contract was restructured after the financial failure of GoldenEye, with subsequent films offering higher base pay and backend participation.
Daniel Craig's final deal for No Time to Die reportedly combined a base salary of around $100 million with backend profit participation, making him one of the highest-paid actors in franchise history. His net worth has been estimated at over $160 million by Forbes, driven by Bond salary, profit participation, and roles in other major films. Sean Connery's net worth at the time of his passing was estimated at around $350 million, largely accumulated through Bond films, licensing revenues, and profit participation in the franchise managed by Eon Productions.
Production Companies, Rights Holders, and Future of the Franchise
The James Bond franchise is produced by Eon Productions, founded by Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, with distribution rights historically held by United Artists and later MGM. Amazon MGM Studios completed its acquisition of MGM in 2022, gaining control of the Bond film library and future production rights. The corporate structure involves holding companies and financing vehicles that have been reviewed in public filings available through SEC.
Future Bond films will be produced under the Amazon MGM Studios banner, with new casting decisions and contract structures yet to be finalized. Daniel Craig's departure was confirmed following No Time to Die, and the next actor will be selected through a process managed by Eon Productions and Amazon MGM Studios. The franchise's financial model continues to rely on global box office, home entertainment, and licensing, with revenue tracked by Forbes and industry analysts.