It is hard to believe that James Bond’s theatrical life has now spanned fifty years, but it is true as the film has firmly established itself as the most-recurring series in cinematic history with a staggering 23 installments over half a century’s time.
In May of 1963, the franchise launched with Dr. No starring Sean Connery. This was before the mega-blockbuster era, so nobody pouted too hard when the film grossed only $16.1 million ($113 million in today’s money.) A few installments later, the pot grew to a staggering $63.6 million ($400+ million today) with 1965′s Thunderball, solidifying it is a property worth milking for decades to come.
The Today Show had a nice piece this morning on the golden anniversary seeing how they were in London for the Olympics. Bond actually stole the show a little bit from the opening ceremony as he escorted the queen to the games for a segment done by the BBC which is probably why the series is getting this extra attention now.
The 23rd Bond film entitled Skyfall hits theaters nationwide on November 9.
Related:
New Footage Debuts in Olympic TV Spot for James Bond’s ‘Skyfall’
Sam Mendes Shares Love of Aston Martin in Latest ‘Bond’ Video Blog
First Official Movie Trailer for ‘James Bond: Skyfall’