Fans of the James Bond movies always marvel at the lavish lifestyle that 007 seems to rack up on Her Majesty’s secret bank account. Daniel Craig’s Bond is no exception, as a recent report on his final mission, No Time To Die, sees the most recent incarnation of the character bringing in his most expensive mission ever. And yet, that doesn’t even put him on the top of the leaderboard when it comes to the total tab run up in the history of James Bond.
According to a database created by TravelPerk, No Time To Die saw Daniel Craig’s Bond spend roughly $10,896 on his mission to stop Rami Malek’s Lyutsifer Safin from destabilizing the world. This result came after the site had crunched the numbers on everything from travel to accommodations, and all the food and drink incurred along the way. From Dr. No to No Time To Die, every mission’s costs were catalogued, and at the end of the day, Daniel Craig’s big Bond blowout was at the top of the charts for his five movie run.
However, that’s not the end of the fun with numbers pertaining to the James Bond legacy. On top of No Time To Die’s special individual distinction, there was also a ranking of all six 007s so far, and the costs they filed in what had to be some amazingly worded expense reports. The results may surprise you, as you take a look at the official ranking of which Bond was the most expensive field operative:
- Sean Connery – $60,945 total, $10,158 average
- Roger Moore – $58,461 total, $9,744 average
- Daniel Craig – $43,367 total, $8,682 average
- Pierce Brosnan – $18,670 total, $4,667 average
- George Lazenby – $1,474 total, $1,474 average
- Timothy Dalton – $809 total, $405 average
With Sean Connery logging six adventures against Roger Moore’s seven, his era topped his successors in both average expenses and overall spend. Connery even managed to net the distinction of most expensive mission ever, with $20,792 being the cost for From Russia With Love’s total caper. That’s what happens when you take the Orient Express for $19,922!
Meanwhile, Pierce Brosnan’s four James Bond adventures didn’t even bring in half of the travel and luxuries that Daniel Craig would in his modern era of films. Last, but not least, if you want a cost effective James Bond on your side, George Lazenby and Timothy Dalton are the men you want to seek out. And even then, Lazenby’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service almost doubled the spend that Dalton would see in his entire two film run.
One final point of order must be made, and it’s at the expense of fan favorite and lovable tech expert Q, played by Ben Whishaw. If you were one of the fans who felt sorry for his No Time To Die dinner plans being crashed by James Bond and Moneypenny, just wait until you hear how much that wine he was serving was worth. Clocking in at about $2,094, his bottle of 2020 Château Angélus, Saint Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé A Wine is pretty flush for someone with two cats and a mortgage.
As a new era of James Bond adventure dawns, there’s no sign that 007 will slow his spending habits. It’s part of what’s always given the Bond movies their flair, as exotic locations and the best in food, drink, and the finer things have always been a tradition with Ian Fleming’s literary superstar. So unless the next Bond villain happens to be a rogue accountant who’s looking to give Her Majesty’s government its most fatal audit, don’t hold your breath on anything less than luxury for 007.
Distinguished as James Bond’s most expensive adventure ever, you can now catch No Time To Die in theaters near you, or in the near future. But you don’t have to break the bank to see what other films are coming down the line, as 2021’s movies are all lined up and ready for your perusal. It may not be for your eyes only, but the excitement is not enough for one moviegoer.