Regardless of inflation Bond stars’ salaries have risen hugely over the years. When Sean Connery was cast in the role in 1962 he was paid £10,000 for Dr No. In the wake of the film’s success Connery’s pay rocketed to £157,000 for From Russia With Love and by 1971 he earned a cool £620,000 for Diamonds Are Forever.
In today’s prices Roger Moore was paid an average £6.3 million per film, Timothy Dalton a £5.4 million and Brosnan £8.7 million, meaning Craig is earning more than all his predecessors with an average of £9.6 million.
Craig has been lauded by critics as the best Bond since Connery for Skyfall in which he stars alongside Judi Dench, Javier Bardem and Ralph Fiennes.
He yesterday paid a surprise visit to 800 British servicemen and women at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan to introduce a special screening of Skyfall.