Each new James Bond movie introduces a new villain for 007 to overcome, and the best villains can elevate mediocre movies into classics. Ever since Dr. No’s appearance in the first Bond movie, eccentric villains have been a key part of the franchise’s formula, and they have developed their own specific tropes. Bond villains aren’t like most other movie villains, they are more outlandish and over-the-top, even in movies where Bond is a straightforward secret agent. Their absurdity is often what makes them so fun to watch.

Although Daniel Craig’s time as James Bond created a more grounded character, eschewing most of the sci-fi gadgets and groan-inducing quips, he still came up against some larger-than-life villains. These characters are one old-fashioned indulgence that the franchise refuses to relinquish. Whoever steps in as 007 for the upcoming 26th James Bond movie, they can be sure to anticipate a bold antagonist with a bizarre plan. Bond villains have become a beloved hallmark of the franchise, and the best ones have gone down in film history.

15

Dr. Kananga/ Mr. Big

Yaphet Kotto in Live and Let Die (1973)

Live and Let Die is the first and only time that James Bond dips into the realm of the supernatural. The voodoo and sorcery mostly come from Dr. Kananga’s sidekick Baron Samedi, who miraculously cheats death and ends the movie laughing manically on top of a train, ready to do it all over again. Dr. Kananga is a little more grounded, but he still has a flair for the dramatic. He is both a ruthless dictator on a Caribbean island and a drug kingpin known as Mr. Big who has his eyes on the American heroin market.

14

Dr. No

Joseph Wiseman in Dr. No (1962)

The first James Bond movie didn’t have all the elements in place that make the franchise what it is, but it did start off with a characteristically strong villain. Dr. Julius No is a charming sociopath who feeds and clothes Bond, and even gives him a comfortable bed to spend the night in. He’s arrogant enough to confess his entire plan over a pleasant dinner, knowing that Bond is helpless to stop him. Of course, he is soon proven wrong, and his iconic metal hands also contribute to his downfall as he fails to grip onto a metal pole.

13

Lyutsifer Safin

Rami Malek in No Time to Die (2021)

Lyutsifer Safin may become more popular in a few years. He has been denigrated as an unoriginal villain in some ways, with his exotic secret base, facial scars, and sociopathic detachment, but there’s something undeniably menacing about Rami Malek’s performance. No Time to Die isn’t really about Safin. It’s one of the best Bond movies ever for completely different reasons. Although he has a terrifying introduction, and he manages to achieve what no other Bond villain could at the end of No Time to Die, Safin is far from the movie’s greatest strength.

12

Max Zorin

Christopher Walken in A View to a Kill (1985)

A View to a Kill had to get creative to work around main man Roger Moore’s declining stock as an action star. He was 57 during filming, and this meant the stunt team had to work overtime. However, a good Bond is much more than just action, and Moore was as charming as ever while exchanging witty banter with Christopher Walken’s Max Zorin. The villain’s plan, to destroy Silicon Valley and cause a global microchip shortage, makes no sense. Neither does his relationship with Grace Jones’ May Day, but, somehow, this is the most alluring part of the entire movie.

11

Alec Trevelyan

Sean Bean in GoldenEye (1995)

Sean Bean has become famous for dying on screen, and GoldenEye gives him one of his most memorable deaths of all, as he plummets into an enormous satellite dish. Pierce Brosnan’s first outing as Bond still had remnants of the campy fun of Timothy Dalton’s era, but Alec Trevelyan’s story and eventual death made it much darker. As a rogue agent who faked his own death, Trevelyan represents the potential dark side of James Bond’s own personality. This idea isn’t quite explored to its limits, but the personal connection between Bond and the villain still raises the personal stakes.

10

Emilio Largo

Adolfo Celi in Thunderball (1965)

Emilio Largo has one of the most typical Bond villain plans of all, to hijack a couple of nuclear warheads and hold the world to ransom. The simplicity of this set-up makes room for plenty of great action scenes, though. Largo is a megalomaniac with obvious flaws, as he loses at his own casino and struggles to get the respect he believes he deserves. He is overshadowed somewhat by the looming threat of Blofeld, and also by his sidekick Fiona Volpe. This could be the crux of Largo’s character. He is never the sole focus of attention, at least until he threatens a global nuclear catastrophe.

9

Elliot Carver

Jonathan Pryce in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

There are plenty of Bond villains who seem overly absurd, and this is often part of the fun, but Elliot Carver is not too far removed from some of the real-life powerful men who threaten global peace. Using the media to manipulate global affairs is not the invention of any movie. Tomorrow Never Dies simply exaggerates this behavior to make a point. Carver is a standout in a sub-par Bond movie, mostly due to Jonathan Pryce, who appears to be having the time of his life as a money-hungry narcissist willing to kick off World War III to add another billion dollars to his enormous fortune.

8

Elektra King

Sophie Marceau in The World Is Not Enough (1999)

Elektra King is a rare twist villain for the James Bond franchise, which so often points to the bad guy with a big neon sign. The World Is Not Enough subverts the classic “Bond girl” trope by having Elektra turn out to be the true villain. She manipulates Bond, and the viewer, into a false sense of security. She’s also key to some of James Bond‘s best moments, even though The World Is Not Enough isn’t among the most memorable Bond movies. Elektra is still the only female character who has served as the sole antagonist for 007.

7

Karl Stromberg

Curd Jürgens in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

Very few Bond villains can compete with Karl Stromberg in terms of sheer lunacy. His plan to incite a global nuclear war and rule over a colony of survivors in an undersea paradise makes Emilio Largo’s nuclear plot seem quaint and level-headed. The Spy Who Loved Me fired the starting pistol for an era of absurdity in the James Bond franchise, but it has a lot of fun with its excess. Stromberg’s major downside is that he is overshadowed by one of the best James Bond henchmen of all, the hulking brute Jaws, who was popular enough to return in Moonraker.

6

Le Chiffre

Mads Mikkelsen in Casino Royale (2006)

Mads Mikkelsen had the look and feel of a Bond villain before he ever joined the franchise, and his performance as Le Chiffre did not disappoint. Rather than plotting world domination, Le Chiffre simply wants to win back the money he owes to some unsavory individuals in a game of poker that he rigs in his favor. Unfortunately, Bond is there to stop him, and Daniel Craig’s 007 is not willing to mess around. The scene in which he tortures Bond for information is excruciating, but Mikkelsen sells Le Chiffre’s tragic desperation perfectly. This nuance makes him a fascinating Bond villain.

5

Rosa Klebb & Red Grant

Lotte Lenya and Robert Shaw in From Russia With Love (1963)

From Russia With Love produces two Bond villains for the price of one, as Rosa Klebb and Red Grant work in tandem to take out James Bond once and for all. Klebb is the brains behind the operations, and Grant is the muscle, but he’s so much more than just another henchman. He’s as much a part of the plan as she is, and they are both subservient to the mysterious Blofeld hiding in the shadows. Grant’s highlight is his dynamic train fight with Bond, while Klebb’s methods are subtler and shrewder. She is happy to pull the strings from behind the scenes, but she also uses the poisoned blade in her shoe when necessary.

4

Ernst Stavro Blofeld

Donald Pleasence in You Only Live Twice (1967)

James Bond’s most notorious enemy has appeared in eight of the official EON productions. Christoph Waltz, Charles Gray and Telly Savalas each brought their own unique spin to the character, but Donald Pleasence will always be the definitive Blofeld. After being teased as the mysterious head of SPECTRE, Blofeld finally comes into focus in You Only Live Twice, with a maniacal plan that he hatches from within a volcano. Blofeld is the quintessential Bond villain in many ways. He is utterly detached from reality, and he can’t be reasoned with.

3

Francisco Scaramanga

Christopher Lee in The Man With the Golden Gun (1974)

Christopher Lee’s villainous demeanor served him well as Count Dooku, Lord Saruman, Dracula, and many more evildoers. The Man with the Golden Gun lets Lee have fun as a serious assassin whose only indulgence is his exhibitionist streak. He only needs a single golden bullet in his golden gun to take out his target. Lee is so captivating that he almost manages to singlehandedly rescue a disappointing Bond movie. His talents, and his character, are sadly wasted on a script that doesn’t fully explore the potential of his rivalry with 007.

2

Raoul Silva

Javier Bardem in Skyfall (2012)

Raoul Silva is the greatest Bond villain that the franchise has seen for decades, and his appeal is emblematic of the 21st century’s finest movie monsters. Bond has made a habit of toppling wannabe dictators hiding out inside volcanoes and on private islands, but Silva brings the fight to Bond’s doorstep. By terrorizing London and targeting Bond’s mentor, M, Silva is a more personal threat to Bond, who can no longer quip his way out of a sticky situation. With a perfectly measured performance by Javier Bardem, Raoul Silva set the new gold standard for Bond villains moving forward.

1

Auric Goldfinger

Gert Fröbe in Goldfinger (1964)

Goldfinger could well be the best James Bond movie of them all, and the titular villain is a big reason why. After tinkering with the formula a little, Goldfinger was the movie that finally perfected it. Auric Goldfinger’s plan to irradiate America’s supply of gold bullion at Fort Knox hits the sweet spot between unhinged mania and calculated evil genius. Goldfinger is remarkably intelligent, and his game of wits with Bond is just as compelling as any action sequence. Goldfinger makes a humble round of golf feel as dynamic and tense as the iconic scene in which he nearly splits Bond in half with a laser.