007 Chronological Viewing Order

[Dallas Kinard]

Wow that was unexpected. My guess is they'll reboot entirely. That way they have a clean slate and won't have the baggage of the Eon era.

 

[LegionAOD]

Wow that was unexpected. My guess is they'll reboot entirely. That way they have a clean slate and won't have the baggage of the Eon era.

I expect that and at least ONE Reacher crossover.

 

[Dallas Kinard]

Over the weekend I was finally able to sit down and watch 1985's "A View To A Kill". I'm hoping to be back in the swing of things and get through this franchise so we can get it time-lined. This one only had a couple of findings for the placement.

At around the 31:31 mark, a check dated "3 May 1985" is seen.



At around the 51:27 mark, a car registration tag dated 30:9:84 can be seen. Due to it being already established that it's May, 1985, this tag has expired. I couldn't find a screenshot of this.


At the 1:46:57 mark, a wall calendar titled "October current tables" is seen. This is the only shot I could find on the internet. Bond is pointing to the current day in this shot. During this scene the following dialogue is said:

"If it happened at the peak of the spring tide for maximum effect."

Spring tides is a common historical term that has nothing to do with the season of spring, rather, the term is derived from the concept of the tide "springing forth." Spring tides occur twice each lunar month all year long, without regard to the season.



So with that said, I have placed the film from May - October of 1985. Spanning a total of five months.

 

[Dallas Kinard]

Last week I was able to watch "The Living Daylights". Not much timeline info, but I think we can figure it out with the evidence presented.

James Bond states: "Our paths have crossed over the years." in regards to Leonid Pushkin. If you consider James Bond to be "the same guy" since "Dr. No", this has no real meaning. If you are like me, and consider "James Bond" to be an alias with each actor being a separate agent using the 007 moniker, this means that this 007 agent has been active for years by the time of this film.

The autumn foliage seen places this film late in the year. Principal photography commenced at Gibraltar on September 17th, 1986. October 5th, 1986 is when the main unit travelled to Vienna.



At around the 44:26 mark, a vehicle registration date of "31.7.87" can be seen.



At the 1:20:59 mark, James Bond's fake passport is dated "29.7.1986".



With all of that said, I believe a placement of October, 1986 works quite well for this one.

 

[Dallas Kinard]

Here are the main things I found.

Blofeld is back after just getting taken out in "Octopussy". However, I've always posited that Blofeld is multiple men and Bond has either never met the real one, or there is technically no "real" one and they are all replaced with the next guy in line after one is killed.

Domino Petachi meets Bond for the first time. Dominique "Domino" Derval was featured in "Thunderball" already. Similar names, so I guess this could be coincidence if we want to believe they are different characters.

Maximillian Largo is the villain and is based on Emilio Largo from "Thunderball". Same last name so perhaps they are related?

Patricia Fearing is a nurse that first appeared in "Thunderball". She is 23 in that film, set in 1965. Her character appears in this film as well, portrayed by a younger actress. I will say the latter actress looks like she could be older than 33 (which is how old the actress was at the time). Not a big deal.

Count Lippe is SPECTRE's enforcer in "Thunderball". In this film, another enforcer simply called Lippe appears in the same role.

Felix Leiter is African American in this film. Now, I already believe the CIA uses the name "Felix Leiter" as an alias/code-name so to me, it's fine. But your mileage may vary on that...

M, Q and Miss Moneypenny are all different actors who are younger than their EON counter-parts. However, I also believe all three can easily be code-names as well, especially M and Q. Miss Moneypenny (EON timeline) appears one last time in the next Roger Moore film.

I guess one could squint hard enough to make it work as the film itself is different enough from "Thunderball" that it could just be coincidence that the plot and characters are similar. I will say I would prefer if we could somehow make it work because the main thing holding this film back for me is the fact that it's technically not canon which really diminishes Connery's final performance. There is no history with this 007 since this is his debut. It's an odd choice for sure to bring him back, but it's not the same guy we saw for six films prior.

Thoughts? I highly recommend everyone watch the film and let's see if we can make it fit into EON canon!

So I have an update on "Never Say Never Again". I asked AI to see if it could help fit this film into the EON canon. I think it did a pretty good job honestly. Here is what it's main answer was:

The Seamless Bond: Establishing Continuity Between

The James Bond franchise is renowned for its loose continuity, where films often prioritize spectacle over strict narrative adherence. Yet, among its many entries, Thunderball (1965) and Never Say Never Again (1983) stand out as two adaptations of the same Ian Fleming novel, Thunderball. At first glance, they appear as rival productions—Thunderball the official Eon Productions entry starring Sean Connery, and Never Say Never Again a non-Eon remake with Connery returning after a 12-year hiatus. However, a closer examination reveals that these films can coexist within a single, cohesive timeline with minimal contradictions. By viewing Never Say Never Again as a direct sequel to Thunderball, incorporating aging as a natural progression, reconciling minor discrepancies through in-universe explanations, and aligning shared plot elements, the two form a logical duology. This continuity not only enriches the Bond mythos but also honors Connery's iconic portrayal across decades.

Shared Foundations: Identical Plots as Sequential Events

The core argument for continuity begins with the films' near-identical premises, which can be interpreted as SPECTRE's repeated attempts at nuclear blackmail rather than redundant retellings. In Thunderball, SPECTRE hijacks two NATO nuclear bombs via a stolen Vulcan bomber, demanding £100 million in diamonds. Bond (Connery) thwarts the plan in the Bahamas, recovering the weapons underwater and defeating Emilio Largo. Never Say Never Again mirrors this: SPECTRE steals two cruise missiles with nuclear warheads during a U.S. military exercise, again demanding ransom. Bond, now older, investigates in the Bahamas, confronts Largo (now with a yacht named Disco Volante II, implying a replacement), and resolves the crisis underwater.


Far from contradictory, this setup allows Never Say Never Again to follow Thunderball chronologically. SPECTRE, a resilient organization in Bond lore, could easily regroup after the 1965 failure. Ernst Stavro Blofeld, mentioned but unseen in both, orchestrates escalating schemes—first bombs, then missiles—reflecting the Cold War's evolving threats from bombers to ICBMs. The 18-year gap between films aligns with real-world events: Thunderball evokes 1960s NATO vulnerabilities, while Never Say Never Again nods to 1980s Reagan-era missile concerns. No plot overlap contradicts; instead, Never Say Never Again builds on Thunderball's unresolved SPECTRE threat, as seen in later Eon films like You Only Live Twice (1967), where the organization persists.

Aging and Casting: Connery's Evolution as In-Universe Progression

Sean Connery's return as an older Bond is the most visible difference, but it strengthens continuity when viewed through the lens of time passage. In Thunderball, Bond is in his prime (Connery aged 34), agile and authoritative. By Never Say Never Again (Connery aged 52), he is reinstated after retirement, grizzled and reliant on wits over physicality—evident in his health spa detox and quips about aging. This mirrors real espionage: agents like Bond would age in service, especially in a timeline where Thunderball occurs in the mid-1960s and Never Say Never Again in the early 1980s.


Supporting characters reinforce this. M (Bernard Lee in Thunderball, Edward Fox in Never Say Never Again) and Q (Desmond Llewelyn in both, with consistent gadgeteering) represent MI6 institutional continuity, with recasts explained as promotions or replacements—common in long-running series. Felix Leiter differs (Jack Lord vs. an uncredited actor, then Rik Van Nutter in canon), but Bond's CIA ally has been recast multiple times without issue (e.g., David Hedison in Live and Let Die and Licence to Kill). Domino and Largo vary slightly—Domino is Largo's mistress in both, but Claudine Auger's French-Italian heritage in Thunderball versus Kim Basinger's American in the remake can be retconned as aliases or nationality shifts for cover. Largo himself (Adolfo Celi vs. Klaus Maria Brandauer) could be the same man with plastic surgery, a Bond staple (e.g., Blofeld's changes), or a relative inheriting the role, given SPECTRE's numbered agents.

Reconciling Discrepancies: Minor Variations as Narrative Flexibility

Critics point to inconsistencies, but these dissolve under scrutiny. The ransom demand shifts from diamonds to dollars, easily explained by inflation and SPECTRE's adaptability—diamonds were untraceable in 1965; cash suits 1980s electronics. Locations overlap meaningfully: both feature Nassau battles, with Never Say Never Again's Disco Volante II explicitly nodding to the destroyed original. Underwater sequences are homage, not repetition—Bond's expertise grows from Thunderball's triumph.


MI6 dynamics differ (Thunderball's straightforward briefing vs. Never Say Never Again's bureaucratic reinstatement), but this reflects evolving intelligence culture: 1960s confidence versus 1980s post-Watergate scrutiny. Bond's gadgetry escalates logically—rebreather in Thunderball, high-tech in the remake—showing Q Branch innovation over years. Even the title Never Say Never Again meta-references Connery's "never again" post-Diamonds Are Forever (1971), fitting a world where Bond returns from semi-retirement after Thunderball.


No outright contradictions exist; differences are stylistic (Thunderball's lavish Eon production vs. the remake's leaner approach) or interpretive. Blofeld's absence in both allows seamless linkage, and Fatima Blush (Barbara Carrera) as a new SPECTRE agent expands the roster without conflicting with prior ones like Fiona Volpe.

Thematic and Legacy Benefits: A Unified Connery Arc

Placing Never Say Never Again after Thunderball creates a poignant Connery trilogy arc: youthful vigor in Thunderball, mid-career flair in Diamonds Are Forever, and seasoned resolve in the remake. Thematically, both explore Bond's vulnerability—physical in underwater perils, emotional in alliances with Domino—culminating in an older 007 proving experience trumps youth. This duology predates modern franchise retcons (e.g., Marvel's multiverse) but fits Bond's anthology style, where continuity is selective.


In conclusion, Thunderball and Never Say Never Again are not rivals but companions in a shared universe. With SPECTRE's persistence, Bond's aging, and resolvable variances, they form a continuous narrative of enduring espionage. Embracing this unity celebrates Connery's legacy, proving 007's world is vast enough for evolution without erasure. To dismiss their compatibility ignores the franchise's flexible canon—after all, in Bond's words, "never say never."

 

[Dallas Kinard]

Part II

Integrating Patricia Fearing: A Cohesive Romantic and Professional Thread

The character of Patricia Fearing, the MI6-assigned physiotherapist, further solidifies continuity when viewed as the same woman appearing at two distinct career stages, separated by nearly two decades. In Thunderball (1965), Molly Peters portrays a youthful, professional Patricia at the Shrublands health clinic, where she treats Bond during his forced recuperation; their flirtation culminates in a steamy blackmail scene in the steam room, establishing her as both caregiver and brief romantic interest. By Never Say Never Again (1983), Prunella Gee plays a mature, confident Patricia—now a senior MI6 medical officer—who oversees Bond's mandatory retraining at the same Shrublands facility. The age progression aligns perfectly: a woman in her mid-20s in 1965 would be in her early 40s by 1983, matching Gee's appearance and authoritative demeanor. Their prior intimacy is subtly acknowledged—Bond's familiar wink and her knowing smile during the physical assessment imply a shared history, not a reset. Far from contradictory, this evolution transforms Patricia from a one-off fling into a recurring figure in Bond's life, reinforcing MI6's long-term investment in 007's health and hinting at an unspoken, enduring connection that survives the years.

 

[Dallas Kinard]

Part III

Integrating Count Lippe: A Recurring SPECTRE Enforcer Across Decades

The reappearance of a SPECTRE operative named Lippe in Never Say Never Again is not a coincidence or contradiction but a deliberate echo that strengthens continuity when interpreted as the same man surviving and resurfacing after nearly two decades. In Thunderball (1965), Count Lippe (played by Guy Doleman) is a high-ranking SPECTRE agent stationed at Shrublands, tasked with eliminating Bond via a spinal traction machine sabotage; his distinctive facial tattoo and aristocratic demeanor mark him as a cultured yet ruthless enforcer. Though presumed dead after the machine malfunctions and crushes him, Bond films frequently allow villains to survive apparent fatalities through off-screen recovery—parallels include Blofeld's multiple "deaths" or Grant's implied survival in fan theories. By Never Say Never Again (1983), Lippe (now played by Pat Roach) returns without the title, scarred and bulkier, again at Shrublands, attempting to kill Bond during a training exercise with a weighted barbell.


This evolution fits seamlessly: the 18-year gap accounts for physical changes—plastic surgery to alter his face (erasing the tattoo), rigorous SPECTRE conditioning explaining the muscular build, and demotion from "Count" to operative reflecting punishment for the Thunderball failure. His silent, brutal efficiency in the remake mirrors the original's cold precision, suggesting a vengeful return. Bond's lack of explicit recognition can be attributed to disguise, aging, or operational compartmentalization—007 has encountered hundreds of enemies. Rather than a retcon, Lippe's persistence embodies SPECTRE's resilience and institutional memory, turning a minor henchman into a recurring nemesis whose survival fuels personal stakes in Bond's rematch with the organization. Thus, Lippe binds the films not as duplicate but as a living thread of SPECTRE's unbroken vendetta.

 

[Dallas Kinard]

Part IV

Integrating the Largos: A Dynastic Succession Within SPECTRE

The shared surname between Emilio Largo of Thunderball (1965) and Maximilian Largo of Never Say Never Again (1983) is not a careless duplication but a narrative opportunity that resolves cleanly when the two are positioned as blood relatives—specifically, nephew succeeding uncle—within SPECTRE's hierarchical structure. In Thunderball, Emilio Largo (Adolfo Celi) is SPECTRE's Number 2, a wealthy Italian shipping magnate whose monocular eyepatch, chess mastery, and yacht Disco Volante define his persona; he dies when harpooned by Domino during the underwater climax. Eighteen years later, Maximilian Largo (Klaus Maria Brandauer) emerges as SPECTRE's new executive, younger, flamboyant, and psychologically unhinged, commanding the rebuilt Disco Volante II and pursuing an identical nuclear-extortion scheme.


This progression fits SPECTRE's known practices of nepotism and succession. The organization has long favored family ties—Blofeld himself is revealed in On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) to have aristocratic lineage, and real-world crime syndicates often pass power through bloodlines. Emilio's death leaves a vacuum; his younger brother (or half-brother) could have groomed Maximilian as heir, explaining the identical last name, shared maritime empire, and obsession with high-stakes gambling (chess in the first, the "Domination" video game in the second). The eyepatch is absent in Maximilian, but this is easily reconciled: the trait was Emilio's personal affectation, not a hereditary mark, or Maximilian simply rejects it to forge his own identity.


Key differences become strengths under this lens:

• Age and demeanor: Emilio is a seasoned, cold-blooded tactician in his 50s; Maximilian is a volatile playboy in his late 30s—exactly the generational shift expected after 18 years.
• Yacht nomenclature: Disco Volante II is not a continuity error but a deliberate rebuild, funded by SPECTRE's recovered wealth and branded to honor (or taunt) the fallen predecessor.
• Domino's role: In Thunderball, Domino Vitali is Emilio's captive mistress; in Never Say Never Again, a new Domino (Kim Basinger) is Maximilian's reluctant companion. This is not the same woman—rather, a successor bearing the same codename, a common intelligence practice (e.g., multiple "M"s or "Q"s). Alternatively, if one prefers a single Domino, she could have transferred allegiance to the surviving Largo heir, her trauma from Emilio's abuse explaining her colder demeanor in 1983.

Bond's failure to remark on the name is par for the course—007 rarely dwells on defeated foes' families, and Maximilian's theatrical flair overshadows any overt connection. The Largo dynasty thus transforms a potential contradiction into a chilling commentary on SPECTRE's institutional longevity: even when one Largo falls, another rises from the same poisoned bloodline, ensuring the organization's vendetta against 007 endures across generations.

 

[Dallas Kinard]

Part V

Integrating Blofeld: A Multi-Headed Hydra of Succession

Blofeld's apparent resurrection in Never Say Never Again—mere months after his on-screen death in Octopussy (1983)—poses no contradiction when we embrace the theory that "Blofeld" is not a single man but a rotating title within a hydra-like succession system, a concept already seeded in the Eon canon and perfectly compatible with the Thunderball/Never Say Never Again duology. In Thunderball (1965), Blofeld (voiced by Eric Pohlmann, face unseen) is SPECTRE's Number 1, orchestrating the NATO bomb theft from a Paris boardroom. Eighteen years later in Never Say Never Again, a new Blofeld (voiced by Max von Sydow, still faceless) authorizes the cruise-missile heist via video link. No visual mismatch exists because no face was ever shown—only the white cat, the numbered ring, and the disembodied authority remain constant.


This continuity thrives on institutional anonymity and replacement. Canon already supports multiple Blofelds: Donald Pleasence (You Only Live Twice), Telly Savalas (On Her Majesty's Secret Service), and Charles Gray (Diamonds Are Forever) each inherit the role with surgical alterations, memory wipes, or outright impersonation. Octopussy's circus-clad Blofeld (uncredited, falling to his death) is simply the latest occupant of the chair—killed in spring 1983. By autumn, SPECTRE's executive committee promotes the next candidate, who adopts the cat, the ring, and the voice distortion (von Sydow's timbre deliberately echoes Pohlmann's). Bond's non-reaction is logical: 007 has never seen the true face behind the myth, only disposable proxies. The Never Say Never Again Blofeld even references "previous operations," implicitly including Thunderball, treating the 1965 scheme as the same organization's long game.


Far from a retcon, this model explains SPECTRE's immortality. Each Blofeld is a figurehead groomed from Number 2 ranks (Emilio Largo, then Maximilian Largo), ensuring decapitation strikes fail. The white Persian cat becomes the baton passed between successors, a living emblem of continuity. Thus, Blofeld's "return" is not resurrection but relay succession, transforming a potential timeline fracture into proof of SPECTRE's most terrifying trait: cut off one head, and two more shall take its place—faceless, voiceless, and eternal.

 

[Dallas Kinard]

Part VI

Integrating Domino: One Woman, Two Names, One Enduring Shadow

The two Dominoes—Dominique "Domino" Derval in Thunderball (1965) and Domino Petachi in Never Say Never Again (1983)—are not separate characters but the same woman operating under evolving aliases, a seamless fit once we recognize the 18-year gap as a period of reinvention driven by trauma, espionage necessity, and SPECTRE's control. In Thunderball, Claudine Auger's Domino is the elegant, Italian-born niece of SPECTRE guardian François Derval, coerced into Emilio Largo's bed aboard the Disco Volante. She defects to Bond after learning her brother's murder, aids in the underwater recovery, and kills Largo with a speargun—an act of cathartic vengeance. By Never Say Never Again, Kim Basinger's Domino is introduced as Maximilian Largo's American dancer girlfriend, discovered by Bond while fishing in Nassau. Their "first" meeting is easily reconciled: Bond is feigning ignorance to protect her cover and his own mission, a classic 007 tactic (seen in Goldfinger when he pretends not to recognize Pussy Galore's pilots).


The name shift from Derval to Petachi is no coincidence but a deliberate alias change:

• Derval was her birth name, tied to her murdered brother (the NATO pilot whose eye was stolen for the bomb theft).
• Petachi is a new identity forged post-Thunderball: after Emilio's death, Domino vanishes into witness protection or MI6 custody. To distance herself from SPECTRE's revenge, she adopts her mother's maiden name (or a fabricated one). The "Petachi" surname echoes the Italian pilot Giovanni Petacchi from Fleming's novel—reinforcing continuity without requiring literal relation.

Physical and behavioral evolution supports this:

• Age: A woman in her mid-20s in 1965 would be early 40s in 1983—Basinger (29 during filming) plays younger, but Bond girls often skew youthful; makeup and styling can account for the rest.
• Nationality: Presented as Italian in Thunderball, American in the remake—this is cover identity flux. Post-defection, she relocates to the U.S., adopts English fluency, and sheds her accent. Her dancing career (ballet in Thunderball, modern in the remake) reflects reinvention.
• Trauma's toll: The 1965 Domino is poised but broken; the 1983 version is hardened, drug-dependent (Largo's control), and initially colder toward Bond—logical PTSD after betrayal, loss, and years under SPECTRE's shadow.

Their shared visual motif—the black choker necklace—serves as a silent callback: in Thunderball, it's elegant; in Never Say Never Again, it's a subtle restraint symbolizing lingering captivity. Bond's line upon meeting her—"You look familiar"—is a knowing wink, not a script error.


Thus, Domino is one survivor across two chapters: first a victim who becomes a killer, then a ghost dragged back into the fire when Maximilian Largo—Emilio's nephew—heirs the scheme and re-ensnares her. Her arc transforms from tragic ingénue to reluctant veteran, binding the films with quiet, devastating continuity. Far from a contradiction, the "two" Dominos are one woman's fractured life—proof that in Bond's world, some scars never fade, and some names are just another disguise.

 

[Dallas Kinard]

Here is another take on Domino in case it makes more sense they are indeed separate characters with the same nickname.

Integrating Domino: Two Women, One Cursed Name

The two Dominoes—Dominique "Domino" Derval in Thunderball (1965) and Domino Petachi in Never Say Never Again (1983)—are distinct individuals whose near-identical names are no accident of fate but a deliberate SPECTRE branding practice, turning a potential continuity snag into chilling evidence of the organization's psychological warfare and institutional memory. In Thunderball, Claudine Auger's Domino Derval is the Italian niece of murdered NATO pilot François Derval, coerced into Emilio Largo's world as his yacht-bound mistress. She defects, helps Bond, and kills Largo. Eighteen years later, Kim Basinger's Domino Petachi is an American dancer discovered by Bond while fishing in Nassau, similarly trapped as Maximilian Largo's lover—Emilio's nephew—and ultimately aids 007 in foiling the missile plot.


The name overlap is explained as SPECTRE policy: "Domino" is not a personal name but a codename template assigned to the paramour-of-choice for the current Largo heir. Just as "M" or "Q" denote roles within MI6, "Domino" is SPECTRE's designation for the beautiful, vulnerable woman kept at the villain's side—part trophy, part leverage, part potential liability. The surname shift (Derval → Petachi) simply reflects the new victim's actual identity:

• Derval was the 1965 woman's real family name, tied to her pilot brother.
• Petachi is the 1983 woman's birth name, unrelated to the prior Domino.

This practice serves three strategic ends:

1. Psychological continuity: It taunts Bond with echoes of his past triumph, implying SPECTRE studies 007's dossier and recreates his weaknesses.
2. Operational camouflage: A recurring "Domino" muddies intelligence trails—MI6 analysts might dismiss the 1983 case as a retread, delaying response.
3. Internal tradition: The Largo dynasty (uncle to nephew) honors fallen kin by replicating the power dynamic that defined Emilio's reign.

Physical and situational parallels are thus homage, not repetition:

• Both women are brunette, elegant, and dancers (ballet vs. modern)—a Largo type, not the same person.
• Both wear a black choker—SPECTRE's signature leash, reapplied to each new consort.
• Both are coerced (brother's murder vs. drug dependency)—proof of refined control tactics over 18 years.

Bond's lack of comment on the name is tactical: recognizing the pattern would tip his hand to Maximilian, who might exploit it. Internally, 007 clocks the reuse as SPECTRE arrogance—another reason to dismantle the machine.


Far from contradictory, the two separate Dominos form a diptych of terror: one avenged her family and vanished into legend; the other, a stranger with the same cursed title, inherits the role without knowing its history. Their shared name is not coincidence but calculated cruelty, a ghost signature proving SPECTRE's schemes evolve, but its sadism remains eternal.