Three of the James Bond movies were remakes of previous Bond films, and these remakes include some of the absolute best (and absolute worst) of 007’s on-screen adventures. Remaking past Bond movies might start becoming more common in the next couple of iterations of the franchise, because the producers have just about run out of Ian Fleming stories to adapt. Since very few of the Bond movies have actually stuck to the source material that gave them their titles, the next incarnation of the Bond series could see Eon going back and adapting Fleming’s novels more faithfully.
But Eon (and other producers) have been readapting Fleming’s works since long before they ran out of new ones to turn into movies. Casino Royale — the very first Bond novel — has been adapted for the screen a grand total of three times, and each version has been vastly different than the last. When he reprised the role of 007 in the ‘80s, Sean Connery remade one of his own classic Bond films (with a much sillier tone this time around). The Bond remakes are three of the most interesting Bond films, but not always in a good way.
3 Casino Royale (1967)
Although Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman owned the rights to most of Fleming’s 007 catalog, producer Charles K. Feldman held the rights to the original Bond novel, Casino Royale. Casino Royale had previously been adapted as an episode of the anthology series Climax! in 1954, but not as a feature film. Feldman initially tried to get the book adapted as an official entry in Eon’s Bond franchise, but he couldn’t reach a deal with Broccoli and Saltzman, so he decided to adapt the novel independently. Knowing he couldn’t compete with Eon’s blockbusters, he chose to make a spoof film.
It was a fun approach, but unfortunately, 1967’s Casino Royale just isn’t that funny. There’s some legendary comedic talent in Casino Royale’s ensemble cast — Peter Sellers, Woody Allen, David Niven — but they can’t save a script that’s clichéd, repetitive, and too reliant on broad humor. 30 years later, Mike Myers would achieve a much more successful version of what this movie was trying to be with his swinging Bond satire Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.
2 Never Say Never Again
12 years after Sean Connery relinquished the role of Bond to Roger Moore, he felt like putting the tux back on. Due to a legal loophole, producer Jack Schwartzman was able to make a Bond movie outside of Eon’s monopoly on the franchise — just as long as it was based on Thunderball, whose rights partly belong to Kevin McClory, who co-wrote the original story. Connery had already adapted Thunderball as his fourth official Eon-helmed Bond movie, so he essentially remade his own Bond movie with Never Say Never Again.
The plot of Never Say Never Again is similar to Thunderball; the main difference is that, since Connery was much older now, it’s full of self-aware jokes about Bond being past his prime and too old for the job (although, ironically, he was younger than Moore, who was still going strong in Octopussy). Connery’s initial run of six Bond movies never took themselves too seriously, but with Never Say Never Again, he fully embraced the goofy humor of Moore’s Bond. There’s a scene in which 007 incapacitates a bad guy by throwing his own urine sample in their face.
Despite being more than a decade older, Connery is still just as perfect for the role of 007; he slips effortlessly back into the character. Never Say Never Again has witty dialogue, inventive action scenes, and striking cinematography, and it’s all held together by the able efforts of Empire Strikes Back director Irvin Kershner. Weaponized urine aside, it’s one of the classiest Bond films ever made.
1 Casino Royale (2006)
The best Bond remake (by far) is the 2006 version of Casino Royale. After an hour-long TV episode in the ‘50s and an unfunny spoof in the ‘60s, Fleming’s debut novel finally got a straightforward feature-length adaptation by Eon in 2006 — and it was worth the wait. After Pierce Brosnan’s tenure as Bond ended with a whimper in Die Another Day, the Bond franchise was in need of a radical reinvention. And with the gritty realism of Casino Royale, director Martin Campbell gave it that much-needed reinvention and revitalized the franchise for a new generation.
Casino Royale left behind the zany escapism of previous Bond films and embraced a Bourne-like intensity. By telling 007’s origin story, 2006’s Casino Royale has a more tangible and engaging character arc than most Bond films. It takes the love story seriously, switching out loveless sex scenes and crude double entendres for genuine emotions and tragic twists. Casino Royale has some of the series’ most visceral action sequences, like the opening parkour chase, and a chilling villain in Mads Mikkelsen’s Le Chiffre. Casino Royale isn’t just the best Bond remake; it’s a strong contender for best James Bond movie, period.
James Bond
The James Bond franchise follows the adventures of British secret agent 007 as he combats global threats. With a license to kill, Bond faces off against various villains and criminal organizations, employing high-tech gadgets, espionage, and charm. The series spans multiple films, featuring exotic locations, thrilling action sequences, and memorable characters. Bond’s mission to protect the world and uphold justice remains central, making the franchise an enduring icon in the spy genre.