Today marks the release (finally) of the latest 007 film, No Time To Die. We’re sharing some James Bond trivia to get you in the mood!

With the 27th return of our favourite British espionage icon finally here, we thought it would be a good idea to stock up on some factoids about the classic Ian Fleming creation. Known for his fondness of classic cars, suave suits, vodka Martinis and smooth way with the ladies, Bond appeared in Fleming’s first novel in 1953. The first on-screen appearance of the agent was in 1962’s, Dr No.

So, spanning 7 decades and 7 leading actors, there’s bound to be plenty of fun facts lurking sneakily in the shadows.

Boring Bond

Ian Fleming turned to birdwatching books when dreaming up a name for his protagonist. He wanted to opt for the “simplest, dullest, most plain-sounding” name he could think of. This led him to the famous title, after Dr James Bond the ornithologist.

Bulletproof

As of 2012, it was worked out by Gordon Stanger, and reported by NME, that Bond has been shot 4,662  times. We knew the agent was good, but damn.

Multicultural

Bond was born in Germany, but raised in England and Scotland by his Scottish father, Andew Bond and Swiss mother, Monique Delacroix.

Skyfall Success

Despite initial doubts that the blonde Daniel Craig could pull off this role, his first appearance in Casino Royale was met with success. Continuing with this success, Skyfall became the highest grossing Bond film at the box office.

Killer Pierce

Pierce Brosnan is the deadliest iteration of Bond, having killed 47 people. This is in stark contrast to Roger Moore, who only despatched of one life in The Man With The Golden Gun.

Car-nage

Car lovers, look away now. Whilst filming Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), more than 15 BMW 750s were destroyed.

Oscar Wins

A new 007 film also means an exciting new ballad, and the James Bond opening title music is always hotly anticipated. However, only two songs made for the film franchise have won an Oscar. The winners are much more modern than you may guess – Adele’s Skyfall and Sam Smith’s Writing’s On The Wall (from Spectre).

Stuntman Spirit

You have to be pretty gutsy to pursue a career as a stunt person. But, Bill Cummings showed his fearless spirit when filming Thunderball after he earned a $450 bonus for diving into a swimming pool… filled with sharks.

Not a Fan

Upon first watching Dr No, Ian Fleming’s initial reaction was, “Dreadful. Simply, dreadful.”

Why Just “M”?

According to the novel version of The Man With the Golden Gun, M’s full name is Sir Miles Messervy. The reason the Director of the British Secret Service is referred to with just an initial is due to inspiration drawn from a real naval intelligence officer.

Sir Mansfield Smith-Cunning, the founder of Britain’s Secret Service Bureau, used to sign documents simply with the letter “C”.

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