The 12 Best James Bond Films Ranked by U.S. Box Office, Adjusted for Inflation - MovieMaker Magazine

      Here are the 12 highest-grossing James Bond films ranked by U.S. box office, adjusted for inflation.

      Since the franchise began with Dr. No in 1962, there have been 25 official James Bond films featuring 007. As much as we appreciate Dr. No, it doesn't appear on this list.

      In fact, we can almost assure you that the top James Bond film by U.S. box office — when adjusted for inflation — isn't one you might expect.

      Here are the 12 leading James Bond movies.

      But First, Some Caveats and Clarifications

      Claudine Auger as Dominique “Domino” Derval in Thunderball. MGM

      This list is primarily based on data from Box Office Mojo, which adjusts for ticket price inflation by estimating the number of tickets sold.

      The figures are adjusted using 2022 ticket prices, as this is the most recent year for which adjusted data is available, and we are focusing on domestic rather than international numbers.

      According to “actuals” — meaning unadjusted dollars — the highest-grossing James Bond film is 2012’s excellent Skyfall, featuring Daniel Craig as 007.

      However, we are not using actuals; we are relying on adjusted domestic box office sales.

      So here it is.

      12 – The World Is Not Enough (1999)

      Credit: MGM

      The 19th James Bond film by Eon Productions, and the third featuring Pierce Brosnan as our favorite secret agent, derives its title from a translation of a motto on the Bond family coat of arms, which first appeared in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. We appreciate a Bond film with historical significance.

      It grossed $126.9 million, or $232.9 million adjusted for inflation, and sold approximately 24,853,800 tickets.

      This means 24,853,800 people heard Brosnan deliver what might be the silliest and dirtiest line in a 007 film, referring to Dr. Christmas Jones, played by Denise Richards:

      “I thought Christmas only comes once a year.”

      Moving on…

      11 – Casino Royale (2006)

      Credit: MGM

      Previously, we noted that Daniel Craig's Skyfall is the top-grossing James Bond film in unadjusted dollars. However, Casino Royale ranks highest in adjusted dollars.

      Casino Royale is the 21st Bond film produced by Eon Productions, the third adaptation of Ian Fleming's novel of the same name, and it features Craig as the leading character for the first time.

      The film earned $167.4 million, which adjusts to $238.3 million, selling around 25,428,700 tickets.

      This means 25,428,700 people endured that intense torture scene with Mads Mikkelsen, a rope, and a chair with the seat taken out.

      10 – Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

      Credit: MGM

      Sean Connery returned to the Bond series after George Lazenby took over in 1969’s well-received On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.

      Diamonds Are Forever is the seventh Eon Productions Bond film and the sixth (and final) featuring Connery. (Notably, he also portrayed Bond in 1983’s Never Say Never Again, which is not an Eon film and is based on an Ian Fleming novel that was also adapted into another entry in this list.)

      Connery’s return proved financially successful. Diamonds Are Forever, the first Bond film of the ’70s, earned $43.8 million, or $248.8 million adjusted, with approximately 26,557,300 tickets sold.

      If the $43.8 million figure sounds underwhelming today — reminiscent of Dr. Evil’s “one million dollars” — keep in mind that there was a 35-year gap between Diamonds Are Forever and the previous film in this ranking, Casino Royale, during which significant inflation occurred.

      9 – From Russia With Love (1964)

      From Russia With Love is the second Bond film from Eon Productions following Dr. No, and it is also the second to feature Sean Connery. In this film, 007 assists Soviet consulate clerk Tatiana Romanova (Daniela Bianchi, seen with Connery) in her defection while SPECTRE seeks revenge for Dr. No's death.

      It performed even better at the box office than Dr. No, which had been a major success even amid doubts it would be a hit. (Many involved in the production feared it would be a "low-budget flop" until iconic images of Ursula Andress emerging from the sea changed their outlook.)

      From Russia With Love took in $24.8 million in 1964, equating to $249.8 million today.

      It sold an estimated 26,663,200 tickets.

      8 – Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

      Credit: MGM

      Let’s take a trip back to the ’90s.

      Tomorrow Never Dies marks the 18