Liam Gaughan is a writer at Collider with a passion for classic films and the work of Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese.
The James Bond franchise is among the most popular ongoing film sagas of all-time, as the series has managed to generate enthusiasm for new installments ever since Sean Connery made his debut as 007 in Dr.
No back in 1962. While there have been many film franchises that simply collapsed after a few installments, the Bond formula has proven to be effective, as the series still has a very bright future ahead of it. ✕ Remove Ads Hollywood has become more dominated by sequels than ever before, as almost all of the highest grossing films of a given year are based on a previously existing property. Since studios want to ensure that their franchises will continue to find success in the years to come, they often look to the Bond series as a source of inspiration. Here are ten movie franchises that were influenced by the James Bond series. 10 The Fast and the Furious Franchise Number of movies: 11 The Fast and the Furious has defied the odds in order to keep generating new installments, as few people thought that a ripoff of Point Break would end up being one of the biggest franchises ever. It was pretty clear early on that there was only so much that The Fast and the Furious could do as a racing franchise, as it was quickly running out of new ideas to take the story. ✕ Remove Ads Fast Five transformed The Fast and the Furious series into an action-centric spy franchise that was clearly working off the model that the Broccoli family had established with the Bond films. It is often said that the Bond films are always as good as their villains, and The Fast and the Furious has amassed an impressive rogue’s gallery that includes Luke Evans, Jason Statham, Helen Mirren, Charlize Theron, John Cena, and Jason Momoa. Fast and Furious Created by Gary Scott Thompson First Film The Fast And The Furious Latest Film F9: The Fast Saga Upcoming Films Fast X First TV Show Fast & Furious: Spy Racers First Episode Air Date December 26, 2019 Cast Vin Diesel , Paul Walker , Michelle Rodriguez , Jordana Brewster , Rick Yune , Sung Kang , Ja Rule , Sonny Chiba Expand 9 The Jason Bourne Franchise Number of movies: 5 ✕ Remove Ads Bourne was a very unique spy series that was in many ways designed as an alternative to Bond. 2002 saw the release of Die Another Day, the last Pierce Brosnan Bond film, which was criticized for being too over-the-top and silly. When The Bourne Identity was released the same year, it felt like a breath of fresh air because the stunts, emotional stakes, and emotional intrigue all felt authentic. The Bond and Bourne films were locked in tough competition, as the rebooted 007 franchise that began with Casino Royale definitely drew inspiration from what Doug Liman had done with The Bourne Identity. However, the Bond franchise managed to reach new creative heights with Skyfall and No Time To Die, whereas both The Bourne Legacy and Jason Bourne were considered to be fairly significant disappointments that did not do anything innovative within the spy genre. The Bourne Identity PG-13ActionMysteryThriller After waking up at sea with no memory of who he once was, Jason Bourne travels the world to discover his identity while mysterious assassins try to kill him. Matt Damon stars as Jason Bourne, a character first appearing in Robert Ludlum's 1980 spy novel The Bourne Identity. The film was followed by The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum, both of which were also adaptations of Ludlum's work.*Availability in US Release Date June 14, 2002 Director Doug Liman Cast Matt Damon , Franka Potente , Chris Cooper , Clive Owen , Brian Cox , Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje Runtime 111 minutes Main Genre Action Writers Tony Gilroy , W. Blake Herron , Robert Ludlum Tagline He was the perfect weapon until he became the target. Website http://www.bourne-identity.com/ Expand ✕ Remove Ads 8 The Indiana Jones Franchise Number of movies: 5 Indiana Jones was created because Steven Spielberg wanted to create a Bond movie, but was turned down by the Broccoli family. As a means of still satisfying those urges, Spielberg collaborated with his lifelong friend George Lucas to create a new action hero that could go on international adventures, fight bad guys, and win over a love interest by the end of the day. There are many similarities between the Indiana Jones and Bond films, as Spielberg even cast Connery as the father of Indy in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade as a direct point of comparison. The opening sequence in Club Obi-Wan that initiates Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is also a fairly overt homage to the card playing sequence in Dr. No. As a point of irony, Mads Mikkelsen has managed to play villains in both sagas. ✕ Remove Ads Raiders of the Lost Ark PGActionAdventure In 1936, archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is hired by the U.S. government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis can obtain its awesome powers.*Availability in US Release Date June 12, 1981 Director Steven Spielberg Cast Harrison Ford , Karen Allen , Paul Freeman , John Rhys-Davies , Ronald Lacey , Denholm Elliott Runtime 115 minutes Main Genre Adventure Production Company LucasFilm Expand 7 The Kingsman Franchise Number of movies: 3 Kingsman is clearly designed to be a parody of the Bond series, as the character Eggsy makes several references to the films starring Roger Moore throughout the film. Considering that the Kingsman films are about a secret organization within British intelligence that helps stop supervillains from unleashing their evil plans, it's not hard to see why Matthew Vaughn is such a big fan of the Bond film. ✕ Remove Ads Colin Firth’s character, Harry Hart, feels a lot like Bond, as he is an experienced spy who has a strong affinity for manners and etiquette. It’s not a coincidence that the least successful installment in the Kingsman series thus far has been the prequel film The King’s Man, which dropped the references to Bond in favor of telling a more convoluted political story set during the height of World War I. Kingsman: The Secret Service RActionComedy A spy organization recruits a promising street kid into the agency's training program, while a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius.*Availability in US Release Date December 13, 2014 Director Matthew Vaughn Cast Colin Firth , Samuel L. Jackson , Mark Strong , Taron Egerton , Michael Caine Runtime 129 Main Genre Action 6 The Austin Powers Franchise Number of movies: 3 ✕ Remove Ads Austin Powers is perhaps the most iconic Bond parody of all-time, as Mike Meyers’ comedy franchise rose to popularity right when Brosnan was making his last few 007 sequels. The character of Austin is literally a British spy who is resurrected from the 1960s, which lampoons how out-of-touch Connery’s version of Bond would have been in the modern day. Similarly, the evil mastermind Dr. Evil is an obvious caricature of Blofeld, a Bond villain who has appeared several times throughout the series. Several of the Austin Powers sequels are direct lampoons of Bond films; Austin Powers in Goldmember is a reference to Goldfinger, and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me is making fun of The Spy Who Loved Me. although there are many Bond parodies that are overtly contemptuous of the series and its success, Meyers seemingly approaches the Austin Powers as a love letter to all the great 007 adventures over the years. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery PG-13ComedyAdventure A world-class playboy and part-time secret agent from the 1960s emerges after thirty years in a cryogenic state to battle with his nemesis Dr. Evil.*Availability in US Release Date May 2, 1997 Director Jay Roach Cast Mike Myers , Elizabeth Hurley , Michael York , Mimi Rogers , Robert Wagner , Seth Green , Fabiana Udenio , Mindy Sterling Runtime 89 Minutes Main Genre Comedy Writers Mike Myers Tagline Website Budget $16.5 million Studio New Line Cinema , Capella International , Moving Pictures , KC Medien , Eric's Boy Distributor New Line Cinema Expand ✕ Remove Ads 5 The Die Hard Franchise Number of movies: 5 Die Hard began as a fairly straightforward “ordinary man trapped in an extraordinary situation” style scenario, which felt closer in tone to one of the thrillers directed by Alfred Hitchcock. However, the Die Hard films began to escalate in tone so that they felt closer to Bond films, with new villains and over-the-top schemes introduced with each subsequent sequel. The Die Hard films have certainly gotten bigger with each installment; while the original film was set amidst one Plaza, Die Hard With A Vengeance took place throughout New York City, and Live Free or Die Hard saw John McClane taking on an Internet conspiracy. Unfortunately, A Good Day To Die Hard took some of the wrong lessons from the Bond franchise, as it mostly resembles disappointing sequels like A View to a Kill, Quantum of Solace, or Diamonds Are Forever. ✕ Remove Ads Die Hard RActionThriller New York City policeman John McClane is visiting his estranged wife and two daughters on Christmas Eve. He joins her at a holiday party in the headquarters of the Japanese-owned business she works for. But the festivities are interrupted by a group of terrorists who take over the exclusive high-rise, and everyone in it. Very soon McClane realizes that there's no one to save the hostages -- but him.*Availability in US Release Date July 15, 1988 Director John McTiernan Cast Bruce Willis , Bonnie Bedelia , Reginald VelJohnson , Paul Gleason , William Atherton , Hart Bochner Runtime 132 minutes Main Genre Action Writers Roderick Thorp , Jeb Stuart , Steven E. de Souza Franchise Die Hard Sequel Live Free or Die Hard, Die Hard With a Vengeance, Die Hard 2, A Good Day to Die Hard Cinematographer Jan de Bont Producer Lawrence Gordon, Joel Silver Production Company Silver Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, Gordon Company Budget $28 million Expand 4 The Mission: Impossible Franchise Number of movies: 7 Mission: Impossible is probably the second most popular spy franchise after Bond, as it is one of the few sagas that has retained a consistent level of quality throughout. While the original film from 1996 that was directed by Brian De Palma was a relatively small scale thriller, each sequel has escalated the stakes due to the incredible stunts that Tom Cruise performed. ✕ Remove Ads The Mission: Impossible series has managed to eclipse the Bond franchise in some ways, as the films are less reliant on references to the past, and more focused on building their own mythology. That being said, it is uncertain whether the Mission: Impossible series will end up having the same longevity as the Bond films have proven to be capable of, as it has yet to be seen if the franchise can generate interest if Cruise is no longer the star. Mission: Impossible PG-13ActionAdventureThriller An American agent, under false suspicion of disloyalty, must discover and expose the real spy without the help of his organization.*Availability in US Release Date May 22, 1996 Director Brian De Palma Cast Tom Cruise , Jon Voight , Emmanuelle Béart , Henry Czerny , Jean Reno , Ving Rhames , Kristin Scott Thomas , Vanessa Redgrave Runtime 110 minutes Main Genre Action Writers David Koepp , Steven Zaillian , Robert Towne , Bruce Geller Expand 3 The Marvel Cinematic Universe Number of movies: 34 The Marvel Cinematic Universe is certainly the most popular franchise of the moment, as the series has managed to surpass every box office record imaginable, and inspired a rebirth of enthusiasm for the superhero genre. When an MCU film is well-received, it manages to become a legitimate “event” in the same way that Bond films do. ✕ Remove Ads Several of the best MCU films drew on aspects of the Bond franchise; Captain America: The Winter Soldier was an old-fashioned spy thriller, Iron Man 3 explored a supervillain’s attempt to stage a political conspiracy, Black Panther featured cool gadgets and exotic locations, Black Widow looked into the world of shadow operations, and Robert Downey Jr.’s star power in the original Iron Man is perhaps the most charismatic movie hero outside of the Bond series. However, the MCU films have diluted their impact because of how many disappointing Disney+ shows there have been, whereas the Bond series has managed to stay theatrical. MCU First Film Captain America: The First Avenger Latest Film The Marvels Upcoming Films Deadpool & Wolverine , Captain America: Brave New World , Thunderbolts* First TV Show Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Latest TV Show She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Upcoming TV Shows Daredevil: Born Again Cast Chris Evans , Robert Downey Jr. , Tom Holland , Paul Rudd , Chris Hemsworth , Mark Ruffalo , Jeremy Renner , Scarlett Johansson Expand 2 The X-Men Franchise Number of movies: 14 ✕ Remove Ads TheX-Men series has managed to remain impervious to “superhero fatigue” because the series has been able to change up its stylistic inspirations with each installment. Considering that the various mutants that work out of Charles Xavier’s mansion are forced to go on secret missions around the world, it would not be a stretch to compare them to the MI6 agents in the Bond films. X-Men: First Class is the X-Men film that is most directly influenced by the Bond films, as it is set during the 1960s as the height of the Cold War. James McAvoy’s charismatic performance as the young Xavier certainly has a lot of Bond energy, and Kevin Bacon’s ludicrously entertaining role as the supervillain Sebastian Shaw is almost certainly inspired by different Bond villains. X-Men: First Class was also able to show the origin story of the X-Men series, similar to how Casino Royale showed the first adventure that Bond ever went on. ✕ Remove Ads X-Men The X-Men franchise of films and television shows includes a variety of releases, covering both the X-Men team as a whole, as well as individual explorations of specific characters. Created by Stan Lee , Jack Kirby First Film X-Men Latest Film The New Mutants Upcoming Films Deadpool & Wolverine First TV Show X-Men: The Animated Series Latest TV Show X-Men '97 First Episode Air Date October 31, 1992 Cast Hugh Jackman , Ryan Reynolds , Patrick Stewart , Michael Fassbender , James McAvoy , James Marsden , Ian McKellen TV Show X-Men: The Animated Series , Legion , X-Men '97 , X-Men: Evolution , X-Men Expand 1 The John Wick Franchise Number of movies: 4 John Wick has laid the groundwork for a new generation of action cinema, as it managed to combine the influence of 1980s action films, classical neo-noirs, violent exploitation thrillers, East Asian martial arts epics, and comic book mythology. The most recent set of Bond films have managed to get bigger and more expansive, but John Wick feels far closer to the gritty, realistic tone that made The Living daylights and License to Kill such outliers in the franchise when they debuted at the end of the 1980s. ✕ Remove Ads John Wick draws a lot from the Bond films due to the memorable locations, exploration of covert operations, and eccentric villains. Both films have succeeded because they have genuinely likable protagonists; while Keanu Reeves isn’t necessarily as smooth and collected as Bond, he does have the same goodness of spirit that made audiences keep returning to the series.An ex-hitman comes out of retirement to track down the gangsters who killed his dog and stole his car.*Availability in US Release Date October 24, 2014 Director Chad Stahelski Cast Keanu Reeves , Adrianne Palicki , Willem Dafoe , Bridget Moynahan , Jason Isaacs , Alfie Allen Runtime 101 minutes Main Genre Thriller Writers Derek Kolstad Studio Summit Entertainment Tagline Don't set him off. Website http://johnwickthemovie.com/ Expand KEEP READING: The 10 Best Pierce Brosnan Movies, Ranked
Please follow us on Google to support us United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Terrifier Has Officially Replaced Two Of Horror's Greatest Movie FranchisesIt's the spiritual replacement to two all-timers.
Read more »
10 Best Movie Franchises Based on Books, RankedMain characters on the poster for Lord of The Rings: Fellowship of the Ring poster
Read more »
10 Most Consistent Movie Franchises, RankedLiam Gaughan is a writer at Collider with a passion for classic films and the work of Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese.
Read more »
10 Franchises That Get Dumber with Each MovieThe Jaws, Fast & Furious, and Rambo series are just a few examples of franchises that have gotten dumber with each movie.
Read more »
The 10 Most Confusing Movie FranchisesNeo and Trinity from The Matrix Resurrections
Read more »
10 Movie Franchises That Defined the 2010sJames Fisher-Clegg is a freelance writer from Vancouver, Washington. He graduated from Eastern Washington University where he earned a degree in Film. In high school, he discovered his love of filmmaking as a member of his school&039;s video news team, and he still writes, directs and acts in short films to this day.
Read more »