The film strayed too far from the classic Bond formula, its critics would argue, and failed to connect with audiences as a result. Not helping its muddied reputation is the fact that following its release the Bond franchise went on a then-unprecedented six-year hiatus, with Dalton replaced as leading man when the series did eventually resume with 1995's GoldenEye.
The Man with the Golden Gun, this ain't.
Read more: How to choose the next James Bond, with casting boss Debbie McWilliams
The numbers also speak for themselves – though it grossed more than four times its budget, Licence to Kill earned the lowest box office return of any Bond film to date (adjusted for inflation).
It was a lengthy legal tussle between MGM, parent company of the Bond series' distributor United Artists, and Danjaq, owners of the Bond film rights, that led to production stalling for a number of years, with Dalton's original contract expiring by 1993. In April the following year, he released a statement announcing his "difficult decision" to step away from Bond, explaining that while he'd been asked to resume his role, it was "now time to leave that wonderful image behind and accept the challenge of new ones".
The similarities don't end there, though. As in Craig's entries, the mood is dark, the puns are sparse, and Bond's womanising is kept to a minimum, with both female leads – Carey Lowell as ex-Army pilot and DEA informant Pam Bouvier and Talisa Soto as Sanchez's girlfriend Lupe Lamora – having a part to play in the narrative other than acting as "disposable pleasures".
There is absolutely a strong flavour of '80s action cinema to Licence to Kill – Frank McRae, known for a memorable turn as an irascible police captain in 1982's 48 Hrs, plays Bond's accomplice Sharkey, while both primary antagonist Davi and supporting player Grand L Bush (Leiter's DEA colleague Hawkins) are lifted from the cast of the previous year's Die Hard. But, remove its 1980s skin and the film sits neatly alongside Craig's less outrageous, more personal Bond outings which were so warmly received by critics and audiences over the past two decades.
Reverting to formula might have left 007 looking outdated, but changing too much risked inviting criticism that the franchise had lost its flavour. Craig – for all the unwarranted flack he earned over his casting – actually faced less of a challenge, with the popular Jason Bourne series of films having set a precedent for escapist spy thrillers that nonetheless featured a flawed, vulnerable protagonist.
"Daniel Craig’s Bond movies are absolutely modern, up-to-date versions, but they’re also the legitimate heir of [the first two Bond movies] Dr No and From Russia with Love."
Buy the James Bond novels from WaterstonesIronically, where the Bond franchise goes next feels now more uncertain than at any point since that post-Licence to Kill hiatus, with long-time custodians Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson stepping back from creative control. As Amazon takes a greater role in shaping 007’s future, the series is once again at a crossroads, not unlike the one it faced in the late 1980s.
View Green Video on the source websiteIf his past work is anything to go by, that path may well lean into a more deliberate, atmospheric style of storytelling – one that prioritises character, mood and visual weight over quips and spectacle. That instinct appears to be shared by Bond 26 screenwriter Steven Knight, who has described Bond as a "modern myth", suggesting a renewed focus on the character’s symbolic power rather than simply his surface-level thrills.
If Dalton’s Licence to Kill was once dismissed as an outlier, history has been kind to its instincts. As Bond prepares for yet another reinvention, it’s striking that the qualities once criticised – seriousness, emotional stakes, a willingness to break from formula – now look less like missteps and more like a blueprint.
Every James Bond movie ranked, from worst to bestLicence to Kill is available to rent or buy now on Prime Video. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
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