Over forty years and over twenty movies featuring the same character the James Bond movies are still around. And whats more they never seem to fall out of favor with the public. Even when the lead actor changed, people still lined up to watch them.

What has made these movies work so well and in this day and age of everything having to be a trilogy, could any movie franchise ever be able to pull this off again?

Watch the documentary Everything or Nothing. They explain it pretty well how it's survived as long as it has. The doc is on Netflix and Amazon Prime. I really wish the doc was on the Bond 50 set, but I think they came out around the same time.

Star Wars and Star Trek are probably the closest. Both are close to 40 years old, and Star Wars has soon to be 9 movies and Trek has 12 movies with #13 on the way.

I think it's a good combination of history and lowest common denominator thrills (action, gadgets, and boobs) that keep it accessible.

It's hard to see it ever disappearing from popular culture unless the producers really screw up a bunch of movies in a row.

Godzilla, has done it.

If you want to think of it like that... Marvel will do it too.

I'm hoping the Fast and Furious franchise lasts for 50 years.

It's way too premature to be declaring the Marvel Cinematic Universe there yet. It just started in 2008. It could easily run out of steam before it hits 40 years.

Can you even imagine how many movies would be in the MCU if it did last 40 years? At two per year, it would be about 80 movies more or less. That would be one heck of a marathon watch.

In the words of the Wolf: "Let's not start sucking eatch other's dicks quite yet."

It's a series that allows the whole family to enjoy Pussy Galore and Plenty O'Toole. What more could anyone want?

(Also, Dr. No came out in 1962 and the pilot for Star Trek was filmed in '64, so both series are 50 years old now, not 40.)

This is the movie forum so I was talking specifically about the first Trek movie which was 1979, not the 1960s TV series.

It also helps that they've had several actors to play the role of Bond. I don't think people would have bought a super-spy getting around with a walker and driving a Reliant K.

Stopped watching them after Roger Moore left and even then it felt like the same story over and over again.

Bond's life is in danger I wonder if he will live to thwart the latest bad guys evil plan?

Bond films are like comfort food. I never go into one expecting to have my life changed and if one really sucks hard it's no biggie because another one will be along before too long.

Plus they are all pretty good for casual repeat viewing. The kind of movies that when shown on TV you stop to watch for a few minutes because there a neat bit coming up you want to see. Then you move on to something more interesting.

I'd say Viagra.

This. Bond movies basically wind up on cable a few years after they come out because they don't generally have much of a shelf-life, and usually look dated by the time the next one comes out.

A middle aged secret agent who gets to have sex with women, sometimes half his age, drink, kill and travel the world. That's timeless storytelling right there. That's why the series has lasted so long.

Before the Craig movies, Bond films tended to be self contained for the most part. So you could easily watch the latest one without having seen previous ones. Even Skyfall was self contained enough. People probably also looked forward to the newest gadgets, action scenes, Bond girls, over the top villains & scenic places he'd go.

If Indiana Jones would take a page from this playbook ... (Yeah, that shit again. )

I think there are a number of good points in this thread, but this is one I keep coming back to. Having the courage as a studio to make this first leap allowed Bond to become a truly timeless character. We, the movie-going public, have come to not only accept this, but to expect it. It is part of the thrill of the character - as one Bond reaches the end of his time, who will be the next?

It also helps that there has never been a definitive Bond - when asked, every generation will give you a different answer as to who is "the" James Bond.

Others have already pointed out similar reasons why the franchise has held up, but I think that it helps that the films are all basically self contained stories so you can watch whichever one in whatever order you choose and still enjoy yourself. That and the films just have appeal that spans generations. Action, sexy women, cool cars/gadgets, a variety of settings, and etc.

I think each generation has "their" Bond but I think most identify Bond as Connery.

I think you're right. My preference is Craig Bond, which to a degree is him but also where they took him. But Connery is the one that pop culture will always generally throw at you as Bond. Though I guess my generation Bond is more Brosnan cuz I was like 10 when Goldeneye came out, that thing hasn't aged well. Still a good flick but...man. lol.

Bond is a character which can be adapted to changing times, but has a strong core idea. Bond (along with many imitation secret agent characters) was immensely popular in the 1960s and that fixed the core idea in people's minds everywhere. People living in Mongolia know who James Bond is.

He's like Sherlock Holmes and Superman that way. So long as his core idea isn't damaged by some stupid executive, and the character continues to adapt, Bond should be around for a long time to come.

Money.

Your argument is that they have lasted 40 years because of cable?
What do you mean no shelf life? They are some of the most popular and best selling catalogue titles, and there are tons of related merchandise like books, soundtracks, and toys.

this franchise is everything you love about the movies. hell, my grandpa loved them and he got me into them so maybe i am a little emotionally attached, but like Djariya said it is timeless and every man's fantasies on the screen!

Also several people have said "the studio this and the studio that." But I would attribute the longevity of the series to the lack of studio involvement. The tight fisted and controlling producers (Broccoli and Saltzman) maintaining total control is what made it last.