The James Bond series is a fictional literary and film franchise created by British author Ian Fleming in 1953. The series follows the British Secret Service agent James Bond and was made during the Cold War era. Flemming wrote twelve novels and two short-story collections until his death in 1964. However, eight other authors have written various novels depicting Bond, including Kingsley Amis, Christopher Wood, John Gardner, Raymond Benson, Sebastian Faulks, Jeffery Deaver, William Boyd, and Anthony Horowitz. Moreover, other characters within the James Bond universe have received their own literary spinoffs, such as Moneypenny.
Other authors have chosen to explore Bond's backstory and childhood, with the latest novel by Horowitz being released in May 2022. Over the years, through movie and novel popularity, Bond has become a cultural icon and action story protagonist. Bond's nickname, 007, has also been featured in comics and best-selling video games.
The film series, which started in 1962, remains one of the longest continually running movie franchises and has earned over $7 billion in revenue. The late actor Sean Connery was the first on-screen portrayal of the iconic spy. Six other actors have gone to play Bond, including David Niven, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig. The latest film came out in 2021, called "No Time to Die," and it was Craig's latest portrayal of Bond after five films.
The films have kept the character culturally relevant decades after the novel's popularity in Britain. Overall, the film franchise is estimated to be worth more than $19 billion. However, the franchise does not currently have a new actor to replace Craig. Bond films have received critical acclaim from the Academy Awards, including nominations and wins for the film's music. The most profitable and one of the most renowned films in the Bond movie franchise is 2012's "Skyfall," which grossed over $1 billion at the box office.
