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Oddjob to Jaws: The 30 best James Bond villains
With more than sixty years of history, the 007 movies have made some truly memorable villains. Here we rank the 30 best villains in the 007 franchise
James Bond, Agent 007, has been preventing megalomaniacs from bringing the world to an end, wicked businesspeople from becoming even wealthy, and terrorists from scheming some good old-fashioned world dominance for more than sixty years. Given their extensive history, it is not surprising that some of James Bond's villains rank among the most repulsive and memorable bad guys ever created. Here are the worst of the worst, shall we? No henchmen like Jaws or Oddjob will be included on this list because we're just including the main antagonist. Each actor will be graded separately because several actors have taken on the role of SPECTRE leader Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Since each actor who played him contributed something, unique to the role.
Here’s our pick of the most iconic 30 James Bond villains of all time:
30. Oddjob (Harold Sakata)
Oddjob, one of Goldfinger's henchmen, comes in second place with his fearsome bowler hat (naturally spoofed as "Random Task" in Austin Powers). Oddjob is the only henchman who ever seemed like he could compete with Bond, a pile of pure, expertly crafted muscle. Remember the golf ball that was crushed and Bond's frenzied electrocution stunt to finally get rid of him? Never before have two villains made Bond's future seem so uncertain.
IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
Starring: Sean Connery, Gert Fröbe, Honor Blackman
Directed by: Guy Hamilton
29. Auric Goldfinger (Gert Frobe)
Do you anticipate my speaking? "No, Mr. Bond, I anticipate your demise!"
Gert Frobe's Auric Goldfinger, who demonstrated how insane yet dangerous Bond villains might be with his plot to irradiate the contents of Fort Knox, is responsible for one of the most famous exchanges in Bond's 25-movie run and one of the best comebacks in movie history. Although Goldfinger is not physically strong, he is wealthy. And shrewd.
IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
Starring: Sean Connery, Gert Fröbe, Honor Blackman
Directed by: Guy Hamilton
28. Rosa Klebb (Lotte Lenya)
Mike Myers' influences on Austin Powers are clear the further back in Bond history you go. Lotte Lenya probably served as the model for Frau Farbissina, Dr. Evil's henchwoman-turned-love interest who, as you may recall, comes from the militant wing of the Salvation Army, as she played the huddled and busy SPECTRE agent Rosa Klebb. But Rosa Klebb is not someone to make fun of. She makes Bond sleep with a young Russian spy early in the movie, and subsequently, she goes around stabbing people with a poisoned blade that emerges from the toe of her shoe. Red Grant, played by Robert Shaw, is praised for being the Russian version of James Bond and for that memorable train combat.
IMDB Rating: 7.4/10
Starring: Sean Connery, Robert Shaw, Lotte Lenya
Directed by: Terence Young
27. Francisco Scaramanga (Christopher Lee)
Christopher Lee got his start in cheesy horror movies, most memorably as Dracula, before he bothered Middle Earth in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and made an appearance in a galaxy far, far away in the Star Wars prequels. Frankly, switching fangs for a third nipple as he does in this scene is absurd, and seeing an older Lee go up against a slightly younger Moore (52 to 47 at the time of the film's release) doesn't exactly imply high-stakes excitement. However, Christopher Lee is still in the role of a deadly villain who builds a pistol out of a cigarette lighter in a Bond movie, excelling above the level of the plot. Special mentions go to the thrilling conclusion, which is reminiscent of a funhouse, and the late Hervé Villechaize's great score.
IMDB Rating: 6.7/10
Starring: Roger Moore, Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland
Directed by: Guy Hamilton
26. Alec Trevelyan (Sean Bean)
The debut of Pierce Brosnan as 007 is superior to what you may expect. Additionally, Sean Bean is a better villain than you recall as Agent 006! The superior fallen 00 may be cited by Causal fans as Javier Bardem's rogue agent Raoul Silva from Skyfall (2012), although they would be mistaken. Trevelyan exudes a more subdued sense of danger than Silva, who is cartoonish and over the top. And we see him in the field, taking out baddies rather than simply lounging out in tan suits. No, he doesn't blow up MI6's headquarters or murder Judi Dench, but there is more realistic brutality in his cold, lifeless gaze. The sole regret was how Trevelyan, and Silva as well, continued the franchise's unhealthy preoccupation with linking facial deformities with evil.
IMDB Rating: 7.2/10
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, Izabella Scorupco
Directed by: Martin Campbell
25. Jaws (Richard Kiel)
The man with the metal lips is one of the most well-known Bond villains ever, and for good reason—not that he's the only one who isn't a Bond actor—to appear in two films. Kiel's Jaws first appears in The Spy Who Loved Me at the height of Moore's career. Kiel's Jaws is unstoppable, and savage, and holds the enviable distinction of being a terrifying Bond villain. Only his appearance in Moonraker, a mostly forgettable series, prevents Jaws from ranking higher. Jaws were the embodiment of brute force; all he had to do was show up, seem strong, and use his teeth to eat a shark. Instead, the producers forced him to fall in love, a tonal error that diminished one of the greatest villains in movie history. Shame.
IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
Starring: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
24. Max Zorin (Christopher Walken)
The elderly age of Roger Moore in his final Bond film has received a lot of attention. He was 57 years old at the time of filming, yes. And yes, he did need stuntmen to race up the stairs for the unveiling of the Eiffel Tower. But let's ignore the main character's declining influence and honor the greatest villain of all time, Max Zorin, whose evil scheme (it involved horses, right?) was expertly carried out by none other than Christopher Walken. Here, we have a true Hollywood A-lister competing against Bond and, in many ways, winning. While Moore goes to even more absurd lengths to try and stop him, Walken is witty and sophisticated in this scene, grinning and reserved. It's simple to dismiss Walken as a funny speech pattern. The only performer who comes close to matching his performance is Grace Jones as the fearsome henchwoman May Day.
IMDB Rating: 6.3/10
Starring: Roger Moore, Christopher Walken, Tanya Roberts
Directed by: John Glen
23. Auric Goldfinger - Goldfinger
He certainly lives up to the portrayal of him as an awful jerk in the film's theme song. Goldfinger is a fantastic villain and the father of the "destroy a big amount of a resource to make the villain's stockpile of said resource much more valuable" plot. He intends to irradiate Fort Knox with a nuclear bomb (provided to him by the Chinese) to greatly increase the value of his gold reserves. He nearly kills Bond with that laser and stays one step ahead of him for much of the entire movie. He is one of the few bad guys with a good reason to keep Bond alive. If Goldfinger murders Bond, MI6 will simply dispatch 008 to track him down. Simply enough, Goldfinger is the greatest villain in the series. He is cunning, has a terrible preoccupation with gold, and is brutal. What more could you ask for from a James Bond antagonist?
IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
Starring: Sean Connery, Gert Fröbe, Honor Blackman
Directed by: Guy Hamilton
22. Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Donald Pleasence) - You Only Live Twice
When you hear the phrase "supervillain with designs for world domination," what image comes to mind? Most likely, it's Donald Pleasence as SPECTRE leader Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the movie You Only Live Twice. We are seeing the leader of SPECTRE for the first time, and Pleasence makes sure we will never forget it. His terrible plan is to hijack the US and USSR's space probes, spark a second world war, and have the two superpowers blame each other. "Extortion is my business," he asserts.
IMDB Rating: 6.8/10
Starring: Sean Connery, Akiko Wakabayashi, Mie Hama
Directed by: Lewis Gilbert
21. Emilio Largo - Thunderball
Emilio Largo, who appears in Thunderball, is arguably the most active antagonist Bond has encountered. He has no problem getting involved in the action. Largo is right in the middle of everything, whether it's recovering the stolen nuclear bombs (and killing henchmen who want more money) or fending off US frogmen at the very end. Largo is a tremendously deadly bad guy and the mastermind behind the "hijack some nuclear weapons and keep the world hostage" plot. A scene in which Bond sneaks inside his mansion at night and manipulates his guards into exchanging gunfire demonstrates his intelligence. Largo immediately recognizes the trick and reprimands his troops for falling for it. Overall, Largo is a fantastic bad guy.
IMDB Rating: 6.9/10
Starring: Sean Connery, Claudine Auger, Adolfo Celi
Directed by: Terence Young
20. Dr. Julius No - Dr. No
Given that he only appears in the final 24 minutes of the film, the first big antagonist has a lot to live up to. Before then, Dr. No is portrayed as an enigmatic and dangerous figure whose followers would sooner perish than betray him. Dr. No is a clever, frightening, and deadly man who is half-Chinese and half-German and has robotic hands after he lost his real ones while experimenting with radioactive. High standards are set for Joseph Wiseman, who plays the title character, but he more than lives up to them. Using amazing lines like "Unfortunately, I've misjudged you," and "East, West, just points on the compass, one as foolish as the other." You are merely a clueless police officer "Future Bond villains will have a very high standard to meet after Dr. No.
IMDB Rating: 7.2/10
Starring: Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, Bernard Lee
Directed by: Terence Young
19. Francisco Scaramanga - The Man With The Golden Gun
He's played by Christopher Lee, which automatically puts him in the very memorable category. Scaramanga, from The Man With The Golden Gun, is the world's deadliest assassin. Price per job: $1 million. With a unique weapon at his disposal and utter joy at his chosen line of work, Scaramanga sees himself as a dark reflection of James Bond and makes a darn good case for it. He even tries to get Bond to admit that he enjoys killing, to which Bond admits that he would enjoy killing Scaramanga. Like Alec Trevelyan, he's held back by his evil scheme. He's trying to corner the solar energy market, a big deal in 1974, when the movie came out, but also admits science is not his strong point, so why bother with this in the first place? Everything else about him is top-tier, though.
IMDB Rating: 6.7/10
Starring: Roger Moore, Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland
Directed by: Guy Hamilton
18. Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Telly Savalas) - On Her Majesty's Secret Service
The part played by Telly Savalas in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, the second Blofeld whose face we can see, is the most physically demanding of all the Blofeld's. If he is unsuccessful in his nefarious plan to gain the title of Count, he will release viruses into the earth that will completely sterilize a single crop or herd of livestock. Blofeld earns his place on this list by murdering Bond's new wife on the day of their wedding, even though Bond foils this plot. There has never been a Blofeld or Bond adversary who has hurt Bond as much as this one.
IMDB Rating: 6.8/10
Starring: George Lazenby, Diana Rigg, Telly Savalas
Directed by: Peter R. Hunt
17. Franz Sanchez - License to Kill
The Living Daylights, the first James Bond film starring Timothy Dalton, pitted him against the two least memorable antagonists in the franchise's history. By pitting him against Franz Sanchez, one of the cruelest and most sadistic villains Bond has ever encountered, Dalton's second (and final) film, License To Kill, corrects that flaw. Sanchez is a drug lord with an unnoticeable empire. He has two personalities: one for his closest friends and allies and another for his enemies. He is so terrifying because of how swiftly he switches between the two. Sanchez is a truly terrifying monster and not someone you want to run into on a bad day.
IMDB Rating: 5.5/10
Starring: James Farentino, Penny Fuller, Don Murray
Directed by: Jud Taylor
16. Alec Trevelyan (Goldeneye)
The idea of an evil 00 is such a great one for a villain, so, fortunately, Alec Trevelyan from Goldeneye delivers on it. Sean Bean's character Trevelyan intends to electronically loot all of London's financial institutions before using the Goldeneye satellite to erase any evidence of the crime. Why is he acting in this manner? His ancestors are Lienz Cossacks, a unit of soldiers who the British handed over to Stalin's death squads at the end of World War II. Bean gave a fantastic performance. Trevelyan even claimed to have thought about asking Bond to participate in his plan, but he knew the spy would decline. His horrible plan is the one thing that is against him. All of the money he has stolen would be useless if he is successful. Still, everything else about him works wonderfully.
IMDB Rating: 7.2/10
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, Izabella Scorupco
Directed by: Martin Campbell
15. Le Chiffre (Casino Royale)
The book "Casino Royale" by James Bond creator Ian Fleming is where Le Chiffre first appears. We shall concentrate on Mads Mikkelsen's portrayal of the cunning card player in the 2006 film rather than Peter Lorre's portrayal of him in a 1954 TV series adaption or Orson Welles' parody of him in a 1967 comic version. Mikkelsen provided Le Chiffre a significant advantage with his scary appearance and original method of torturing a nude James Bond (played by Daniel Craig).
IMDB Rating: 8.0/10
Starring: Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Judi Dench
Directed by: Martin Campbell
14. Hugo Drax (Moonraker)
Drax has undergone significant changes since his appearance in "Moonraker," a Fleming novel. In contrast to the World War II veteran who becomes wealthy after the war in the book, he is a billionaire who controls a business that manufactures space shuttles for NASA. The film, which was produced around the time the original "Star Wars" came out, focused a lot on space fights, with Drax (played by Michael Lonsdale) instigating all the mayhem. He also has the greatest villain name ever, Hugo Drax!
IMDB Rating: 6.2/10
Starring: Roger Moore, Lois Chiles, Michael Lonsdale
Directed by: Lewis Gilbert
13. Xenia Onatopp (GoldenEye)
In "GoldenEye," Famke Janssen played the deadly former Soviet jet pilot. She was not only a stunning Bond girl but also one of the most lethal, as Xenia is well known for crushing her victims to death with her thighs while they are in bed.
IMDB Rating: 7.2/10
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, Izabella Scorupco
Directed by: Martin Campbell
12. Dr. Julius No (Dr. No)
The protagonist from Fleming's 1958 novel became the first-ever Bond villain to appear on film. The Dr. No antagonist was given characteristics by Joseph Wiseman that would inspire imitation not just inside the franchise but much beyond, such as his propensity to reveal his evil scheme to Bond before attempting to murder him and possessing a flaw that results in extraordinary strength. In the case of No, it's his strong hands, which he acquired as a result of a radiation mishap.
IMDB Rating: 7.2/10
Starring: Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, Bernard Lee
Directed by: Terence Young
11. Mr. Big (Live and Let Die)
Mr. Big, a Harlem drug lord who was expertly portrayed by Yaphet Kotto, was waiting for Roger Moore when he made his debut as James Bond. Mr. Big is one of the more menacing villains in the series with his finely cut suits and sly gaze.
IMDB Rating: 6.7/10
Starring: Roger Moore, Yaphet Kotto, Jane Seymour
Directed by: Guy Hamilton
10. Ernst Stavro Blofeld (You Only Live Twice)
Blofeld appears in several books and films as the primary adversary of James Bond. He and his character, Donald Pleasence, square up for the first time in "You Only Live Twice" (1967) (before, we either hear him or see his hand petting his cat). Although various actors, including Telly Savalas, Max von Sydow, and most recently, Christoph Waltz, will play SPECTRE's number one in subsequent movies, Pleasence has the role down pat in his rendition. He is the best Blofeld due to his intimidating appearance and affection for the white cat.
IMDB Rating: 6.8/10
Starring: Sean Connery, Akiko Wakabayashi, Mie Hama
Directed by: Lewis Gilbert
9. Raoul Silva (Skyfall)
The most memorable villain of the Daniel Craig period is played by Javier Bardem as the deranged former MI6 agent. Bardem has always loved playing the heavy throughout his career, and portraying Silva brings out his best scenery-chewing.
IMDB Rating: 7.8/10
Starring: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Naomie Harris
Directed by: Sam Mendes
8. Baron Samedi (Live and Let Die)
One of the more stunning characters in the series was Geoffrey Holder's portrayal of Mr. Big's henchman in "To Live and Let Die." We are given a villain with spiritual skills uncommon in the genre as well as spectacular clothing, playing on Baron Samedi's Voodoo powers.
IMDB Rating: 6.7/10
Starring: Roger Moore, Yaphet Kotto, Jane Seymour
Directed by: Guy Hamilton
7. Max Zorin (A View to a Kill)
Bardem is not the first actor to occasionally chew the scenery when playing a
Bond villain. Max Zorin's portrayal in the movie Skyfall was so outrageous that only Christopher Walken could turn him into a memorable Bond adversary.
IMDB Rating: 6.3/10
Starring: Roger Moore, Christopher Walken, Tanya Roberts
Directed by: John Glen
6. Donald "Red" Grant (From Russia with Love)
In the follow-up to "Dr. No," Bond faces off against the deadliest assassin in SPECTRE. He can handle any situation, as the opening of the film demonstrates, even a brass knuckles strike to the stomach. It's impressive how Robert Shaw portrays this henchman with a stone face. However, we must point out that this is undoubtedly one of the least inventive character names in the Bond franchise.
IMDB Rating: 7.4/10
Starring: Sean Connery, Robert Shaw, Lotte Lenya
Directed by: Terence Young
5. Oddjob (Goldfinger)
Harold Sakata, one of the best Bond henchmen of all time, set the bar high with his intimidating appearance and masterful choice of weapon, a razor-sharp top hat that he used to decapitate everyone who stood in the way of his boss, Goldfinger.
IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
Starring: Sean Connery, Gert Fröbe, Honor Blackman
Directed by: Guy Hamilton
4. Francisco Scaramanga (The Man with the Golden Gun)
The man with the golden gun, commonly known as Scaramanga, is superbly portrayed by Christopher Lee. As one of the best antagonists to take on Bond, Lee embodied a wonderful blend of sophisticated class and ominous darkness.
IMDB Rating: 6.7/10
Starring: Roger Moore, Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland
Directed by: Guy Hamilton
3. May Day (A View to a Kill)
In the Bond series, there have been several henchwomen, but Grace Jones' May Day is by far the best. She is a fan favorite due to her combination of sexuality and intimidation. In particular, when she foils her boss Max Zorin's aspirations to rule the globe at the film's conclusion.
IMDB Rating: 6.3/10
Starring: Roger Moore, Christopher Walken, Tanya Roberts
Directed by: John Glen
2. Auric Goldfinger (Goldfinger)
A memorable antagonist is what elevates a James Bond film, and Gert Fröbe's portrayal of gold-obsessed Auric Goldfinger is the best. In addition to having the appearance of a mad genius, he also has the best one-liners. Particularly when Bond asks him, "Do you expect me to talk?" as a laser is ready to pierce him, that classic reaction. Fantastically, Fröbe's Goldfinger responds: "Oh no, Bond. I assume your demise."
IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
Starring: Sean Connery, Gert Fröbe, Honor Blackman
Directed by: Guy Hamilton
1. Jaws (The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker)
One of the most recognizable movie villains is the monstrous Jaws, who have teeth made of metal. Richard Kiel's portrayal of the character in the Roger Moore-era Bond films ("The Spy Who Loved Me" and "Moonraker") was an instant fan favorite because he played the character menacingly but also with a little humor.
IMDB Rating: 7.0/10
Starring: Roger Moore, Barbara Bach, Curd Jürgens
Directed by: Lewis Gilbert
Every incarnation of 007, from Connery to Craig via Brosnan, Moore, Daltry, and Lazenby, has one thing in common: a psychopath with plans to overthrow the world. Naturally, there have been a few errors along the road. Some of the more recent iterations have sounded like diluted parodies of Connery-era classics. Some of the most archaic ones have become racial stereotypes and are better left out of history.
Also read: Jamie Dornan REVEALS his thoughts on taking on the James Bond franchise after Daniel Craig
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