James Bond is one of the longest-running film franchises of all time. Based on Ian Fleming’s book series of the same name, the franchise has produced 27 movies with seven different iterations of Bond at the time of writing. Since Daniel Craig retired from the role following No Time to Die, the film series has been on hiatus while the search for the next Bond continues.
While you wait for the next era of Bond, check out our guide for 10 great movies similar to the James Bond series you can stream online today on platforms like Apple TV+, Peacock, and more!
Argo
The James Bond movies and Argo feature a spy leading a high-stakes covert mission, but the main difference is that Argo is based on actual events. It tells the stranger-than-fiction true story of Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck), a CIA exfiltration specialist, who used the cover of a fake film production to rescue U.S. hostages in Iran. In addition to featuring a highly intelligent and pragmatic spy and a high-stakes mission, Argo’s incredible story and performances earned it several Oscars.
Argylle
Viewers who love the campier early Bond films like Diamonds are Forever will enjoy the lighthearted spy comedy Argylle. The movie sees the novelist Ellie Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard) pulled into an international spy scheme when her books seemingly start to predict real-life events. It’s a wild and off-kilter story, but Henry Cavill’s Bond-like Argylle and the underlying romance make it an enjoyable spy movie.
Atomic Blonde
Atomic Blonde’s Lorraine Broughton (Charlize Theron) is often considered a female Bond, given that both are mysterious, elite spies working for MI6. Theron effectively makes the character her own, though, in an adrenaline-pumping plot set before the collapse of the Berlin Wall. With a woman who gives Bond a run for his money as the most elite spy, John Wick-esque action scenes, and unpredictable plot twists, Atomic Blonde is even better than what most imagined a female 007 movie would look like.
Ghosted
Ghosted is another more playful alternative to the James Bond movies. The film follows Sadie Rhodes (Ana de Armas), a secret agent who unintentionally pulls her needy and clueless boyfriend, Cole Turner (Chris Evans), into one of her missions. Although it’s largely a hilarious, action-packed rom-com, it does borrow a few pages from Bond with major story twists and over-the-top villains.
Kingsman: The Secret Service
Viewers who love Bond's dapper and gentlemanly charm will be interested in Kingsman: The Secret Service, which features a whole organization of gentlemen spies. Gary "Eggsy" Unwin (Taron Egerton) is recruited into the secret service his father secretly worked for and quickly takes on a global threat in a stylish but brutal fashion. Kingsman: The Secret Service boasts more violence and humor than the typical Bond movie but capitalizes on its agents’ gentlemanly flair.
Mission: Impossible - Fallout
All of the Mission Impossible movies are great for fans of Bond, with many considering Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) the closest thing to the American equivalent of Bond. Meanwhile, Mission: Impossible - Fallout is often considered the best movie in the franchise with its fast pace, high-quality action sequences, and intriguing plot of Hunt’s race against time to stop a nuclear terrorist attack.
Munich
Munich is a high-stakes spy drama based on historical events. It follows Avner Kauffman (Eric Bana), a Mossad agent tasked with assembling a team to assassinate the terrorists who carried out an attack on the Israeli Olympic team at the 1972 Olympics. The movie is a high-quality, nuanced spy thriller that will appeal to viewers looking for a more realistic depiction of the world of espionage than Bond.
The Bourne Identity
Like Mission Impossible, the whole Jason Bourne franchise will appeal to Bond fans. The Bourne Identity tells the important origin story of Jason Bourne (Matt Damon), a man suffering from amnesia who is skilled in combat and has mysterious ties to the CIA. It’s a great movie for fans seeking a more action-packed, mysterious alternative to James Bond.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is a spy thriller that follows CIA agent Napoleon Soto (Henry Cavill) and KGB agent Illya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer), who are forced to team up and foil a criminal organization’s plot to spark a nuclear war between the U.S. and Soviet Union during the Cold War. It’s a stylish and charming spy movie, which will be a real treat to Bond fans who have long wished to see Cavill as an iteration of Bond.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a spy thriller that tells the true story of Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s off-the-books black ops team who secretly played a vital role in World War II by disrupting the German U-boat supply. In addition to offering viewers an intricate spy story and non-stop action, the film also features Bond author Ian Fleming (Freddie Fox), as Fleming’s role within Britain's Naval Intelligence Division during WWII partially inspired his Bond novels.
Where to watch movies like James Bond online
Check out our list below to find out where to stream these 10 movies like James Bond in the United States!
