A Return That Defied Expectations
Sean Connery’s final turn as the iconic James Bond came not with an official franchise entry but through an unexpected, off-canon production. Never Say Never Again, released in 1983, marked Connery’s return to the role after a 12-year hiatus since Diamonds Are Forever. However, unlike previous films, this one was not produced by Eon Productions, the company behind the official Bond series. Instead, it came from Warner Bros., making it a unique outlier in the Bond universe — a film that featured the legendary 007 actor but was never considered canon.
During the 1960s, Sean Connery starred in five classic Bond films: Dr. No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, and You Only Live Twice. He briefly returned for Diamonds Are Forever in 1971 after George Lazenby’s short-lived stint. At the time, Connery insisted he would never play Bond again — a statement that partially inspired the title of his unofficial comeback, Never Say Never Again, suggested by his wife. Though Roger Moore had already taken over the role in Eon’s main timeline, Connery’s final performance added a curious chapter to 007 history.
A Legal Loophole Leads to a Remake
Never Say Never Again is essentially a reimagining of Thunderball, and it came about through a complicated rights dispute. Long before Dr. No debuted, James Bond creator Ian Fleming had worked with producer Kevin McClory and screenwriter Jack Whittingham on a screenplay titled Longitude 78 West. Although the project was shelved, Fleming later adapted the story into his novel Thunderball without crediting his collaborators, sparking a lawsuit. The court ruling in 1963 awarded McClory the rights to the story, and Eon eventually struck a deal to produce Thunderball as an official Bond film in 1965.
Years later, McClory decided to develop another adaptation of the same material, which led to legal pushback from Eon. However, the courts confirmed McClory’s rights to elements like the villainous organization SPECTRE and its leader, Blofeld. As a result, McClory pushed forward with a new version of the story — this time, under his own banner. Connery, who was involved early in the script development, hadn’t originally planned to return as Bond. But after producer Jack Schwartzman personally offered him the role — along with $3 million, script and casting approval, and a share of the profits — Connery agreed.
A Mixed Legacy for an Unofficial Bond
Sean Connery’s age at the time (52) led to subtle script changes referencing Bond’s aging status, and the actor even trained with Steven Seagal to prepare for the role. Yet, limitations remained. As McClory’s team couldn’t use elements invented by Eon, such as the signature gun barrel intro or Monty Norman’s famous theme, the film took creative liberties. This gave Never Say Never Again a somewhat off-brand feel — familiar yet disconnected.
Although the movie performed decently at the box office, it couldn’t surpass Eon’s Octopussy, released the same year. With a larger budget but less impact, Connery’s swan song as Bond is often seen as the weakest of his seven performances. Still, Never Say Never Again occupies a unique spot in the franchise’s lore — a nostalgic, unofficial farewell from the man who first defined 007 on screen.
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