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Franchises are all the rage these days, but they're nothing new. In fact, one of the most successful franchises in box office history dates back to the 1960s, with its fifth installment reigning supreme on July 22, 1967. Of course, we're talking about "You Only Live Twice" from the James Bond series, starring Sean Connery in the legendary role of the British secret agent.
With a screenplay penned by "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" scribe Roald Dahl, the film sees Bond on a mission to determine what happened to some missing U.S. and Soviet Union spacecraft, putting him on a collision course with the head of SPECTRE, Blofeld (Donald Pleasence), one of the most powerful villains in the Bond film series. While Blofeld was an unseen presence in previous installments, this was the first time we saw this iconic antagonist's face.
"You Only Live Twice" first hit the top of the box office charts on June 28 of that year and held that position for five more weeks until it was unseated by "The Dirty Dozen." Still, the Bond flick made out nicely for itself, grossing a total of $111 million off a budget of only $9.5 million. It was a healthy total, but a step down from the $141 million that the previous installment — "Thunderball" — made just two years prior. A low budget ensured Connery's Bond films remained profitable, but a major change was about to occur within the franchise.
Read more: Actors Who Blamed Co-Stars For Their Movie Bombs
Sean Connery quit James Bond after You Only Live Twice -- for a while, anyway
The more muted box office performance of "You Only Live Twice" can likely be attributed to an over-saturation of spy films throughout the 1960s. The first James Bond film, 1962's "Dr. No," put the character on the map, and every other studio wanted a piece of the pie. Naturally, the ongoing Cold War likely factored into spies being popular too, so Bond soon found himself competing with the likes of "Our Man Flint" and "Arabesque."
"You Only Live Twice" was still profitable, but Sean Connery was done after the film's release. The real reason Connery left James Bond is because he didn't think very highly of the secret agent and wanted to be known for other roles than just 007. He quit the franchise after "You Only Live Twice," paving the way for George Lazenby to step into Bond's shoes for 1969's "On Her Majesty's Secret Service."
While that film was well-received, it made even less money than "You Only Live Twice," with an $82 million haul. To course-correct the franchise, producers offered Connery an unparalleled-at-the-time $1.25 million salary to come back. You can talk about not wanting to be pigeonholed all you want, but that kind of money will make anyone change their opinion quick.
Connery returned as Bond for 1971's "Diamonds Are Forever," which got things back on track with a $116 million haul, while the actor donated his entire salary to the Scottish International Education Trust. You don't need to be a secret agent to be a hero.
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Read the original article on Looper.
