By Jonathan Klotz
| Published 1 hour ago

For decades, every studio has tried to launch its own spy franchise. Paramount came closest with Mission Impossible, Fox took a twisted approach with Matthew Vaughn’s Kingsman, and even Vin Diesel made an attempt with the most early-2000’s movie ever, xXx.

Nobody does it better than the original model, James Bond. In January, all 26 James Bond films, from Dr. No to No Time to Die, will be available to stream on Netflix in the United States for the first time, giving longtime fans a chance to relive classics, new fans to discover why Sean Connery is an icon, and everyone an opportunity to endlessly debate if Spectre or Moonraker is worse than Die Another Day. 

The Template For An Entire Genre

Sean Connery In Dr. No

Sir Ian Fleming created the suave British super spy James Bond in his 1953 novel Casino Royale. Over the next 13 years, 14 novels were published, all of which have been adapted with varying degrees of accuracy, from low to “they share a title.” The novels were successful, but the release of Dr. No established the spy movie genre and tropes still used in films over 60 years later. 

The gadgets, the girls, the cars, the suits, the martinis shaken not stirred, even someone who hasn’t seen a single frame of an actual James Bond film knows what to expect in all 26 of them. Once you start binging them on Netflix, you’ll notice the consistency from film to film, made possible by the Broccoli family, who have held the rights to James Bond since 1961, when Albert Broccoli had the foresight to license Fleming’s novels. His heirs, daughter Barbara Broccoli and stepson Michael Wilson, maintained tight control of the franchise until February 2025, leaving 007 in the hands of MGM, which is now under Amazon. 

Every Generation Has A Bond

Pierce Brosnan In Goldeneye

Netflix is licensing only the Bond franchise from its streaming rival, so if you want to catch all the best Bond films, you’ll have to move fast when they arrive next month. Past Amazon/MGM licensing deals have expired after 90 days, giving fans until April to enjoy Roger Moore and his golden gun. Sean Connery may have turned Bond into an icon, but Moore took the series into an entirely new direction by embracing the camp and absurdity of the premise. Each star has brought their own personal flavor to the role, giving each era its unique feel. 

Sean Connery was smooth and sexy, Moore went for Camp, and then Timothy Dalton’s 80s Bond films portrayed Bond as the closest to his original literary roots: a stoic, reserved killer. Pierce Brosnan’s 90’s Bond attempted to modernize the classic tropes, striking a balance between Moore and Dalton that worked half the time (Goldeneye and Die Another Day), while the most recent Bond, Daniel Craig, plays the most grounded and realistic version yet, to the chagrin of longtime fans still furious over Spectre’s modern Blofield. 

A New Bond For A New Era

Daniel Craig Has Turned In His Tux

A new James Bond film is in the works with Spider-Man producer Amy Pascal taking over for the Broccoli family and Denis Villeneuve trading stillsuits for tailored suits as the director. Craig’s tenure ended with No Time To Die, and all we know about the next Bond is that it won’t be Idris Elba. According to various reports, the current favorite is Kraven star Aaron Taylor-Johnson. 

Until more news breaks about the current state of the James Bond franchise, fans will at least be able to enjoy all 26 films on Netflix for the next few months. Be prepared for the usual debates to start raging online again about the best henchman (Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd from Diamonds Are Forever), the best Bond girl (Jane Seymour as Solitaire in Live and Let Die or Eva Green as Vesper in the 2006 Casino Royale), and the best opening song (“A View to a Kill” by Duran Duran). When it comes to spy action movies, nobody does it better than James Bond.