James Bond movies are famous for many things: the suave one-liners, the exotic locales, the martinis, and the unforgettable pre-title sequences. These opening scenes set the tone for the entire film, often delivering jaw-dropping stunts and high-octane action before the credits even roll. The 1960s gave us some of the most iconic Bond openings, from Sean Connery's early adventures to George Lazenby's sole outing. Here's our ranking of every Bond pre-title sequence from that decade, excluding the 1967 spoof Casino Royale and Dr. No, which famously lacks an action opener.
5. You Only Live Twice (1967)
This sequence kicks off with a U.S. spacecraft being swallowed by a mysterious vessel during a spacewalk—a Cold War-era tension builder. Meanwhile, Bond is in Hong Kong with his Chinese contact, Ling, who betrays him by trapping him in a Murphy bed as gunmen arrive. The police declare Bond dead, but it's later revealed MI6 faked his death for a deep-cover mission. While the space intrigue is cool, the scene lacks enough Bond action and leaves you wanting more.
4. On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
George Lazenby's debut as 007 opens on a Portuguese beach, where he rescues a suicidal Tracy (Diana Rigg) from henchmen. A fight ensues using oars and anchors, but Tracy steals Bond's car and drives off. Lazenby's cheesy line, "This never happened to the other guy," is a memorable, if cringey, introduction. The sequence sets up the film's romantic tone, showing a more vulnerable Bond.
3. Thunderball (1965)
This opening packs a punch. Bond attends a funeral where a "widow" turns out to be a man in drag trying to kill him. A brutal fight through a French château ends with Bond escaping via jetpack—a stunt that still wows. He lands in his Aston Martin DB5, spraying henchmen with water. It's classic Bond: action, gadgets, and a memorable stunt.
2. From Russia with Love (1963)
This sequence is pure suspense. SPECTRE assassin Grant (Robert Shaw) stalks Bond through a hedge maze, eventually strangling him with a wire. But it's a training exercise: the victim is a henchman in a Bond mask. This opener set the trend of "killing" Bond, later used in You Only Live Twice and Skyfall. It brilliantly introduces the villain and sets up the iconic train fight.
1. Goldfinger (1964)
Goldfinger set the blueprint for all Bond pre-title sequences. It has humor, romance, tension, explosions, and double-crossing. Bond emerges from the water in a wetsuit, plants explosives, and seduces a woman—only for her to betray him. He electrocutes her in a bathtub, then blows up the facility. It's a perfect mini-movie that encapsulates everything fans love about 007.
For more rankings of iconic moments, check out our list of The Greatest Blockbuster Movie Climaxes, Ranked or explore The Best MCU Movie Climaxes Ranked.
