Thunderball (1965)
The fourth James Bond adventure sends 007 to the sun-drenched Bahamas to stop SPECTRE from triggering nuclear catastrophe.
Thunderball - Movie Information
- Original Title: Thunderball
- Release Year: 1965
- Directed by: Terence Young
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Adventure, Action, Thriller
- Age Rating (US): PG
- Runtime: 2h 10m
- Original Language: English
- Spoken Languages: English, French
- Release Date (Theatrical): December 11, 1965 (Japan), December 29, 1965 (United States - PG), December 28, 1965 (United Kingdom - PG), December 16, 1965 (Germany - 12), December 17, 1965 (France - 12), January 26, 1966 (Australia - PG), January 17, 1966 (Brazil - 12), January 6, 1966 (Mexico - B), December 15, 1965 (Italy - T), December 23, 1965 (Spain - 18), February 12, 1969 (South Korea - 15)
- Alternative Titles: 4탄 007 썬더볼 작전 (KR), Operasjon Tordensky (NO), Pallosalama (FI), Джеймс Бонд: Кульова блискавка (UA), James Bond - I ilden (DK), 007: Tűzgolyó (HU), Шаровая молния (RU), Operatie Donder (NL)
- Production Companies: EON Productions
- Production Countries: United Kingdom
Thunderball - Plot
A criminal organization has obtained two nuclear bombs and are asking for a 100 million pound ransom in the form of diamonds in seven days or they will use the weapons. The secret service sends James Bond to the Bahamas to once again save the world.
Thunderball - Trailer
Watch the official trailer and see the underwater action unfold:
Look up! Look down! Look out! Here comes the biggest Bond of all!
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Thunderball - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Terence Young
Main Cast
- Sean Connery
- Claudine Auger
- Adolfo Celi
- Luciana Paluzzi
- Rik Van Nutter
- Guy Doleman
- Molly Peters
- Martine Beswick
- Bernard Lee
- Desmond Llewelyn
Writers
- Richard Maibaum
- John Hopkins
- Jack Whittingham
- Kevin McClory
Producers
- Kevin McClory
Thunderball - FAQs
Where can you stream Thunderball?
Thunderball is available to stream on Netflix and Netflix Standard with Ads. It can also be purchased or rented on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. Plex also offers it as a rental option.
Who are the main actors in Thunderball?
Thunderball stars Sean Connery as James Bond, Claudine Auger as Domino Derval, Adolfo Celi as villain Emilio Largo, and Luciana Paluzzi as the deadly Fiona Volpe. Supporting roles include Rik Van Nutter as Felix Leiter, Bernard Lee as M, and Desmond Llewelyn as Q.
Is Thunderball based on a true story?
Thunderball is not based on a true story. It is adapted from Ian Fleming's 1961 novel of the same name, which itself grew out of a film treatment co-written by Fleming, Kevin McClory, and Jack Whittingham. The story is entirely fictional, though it draws on Cold War anxieties about nuclear terrorism.
What is Thunderball about?
Thunderball follows James Bond as he travels to the Bahamas to recover two stolen NATO nuclear warheads seized by the criminal syndicate SPECTRE. With a 100 million pound diamond ransom demanded within seven days, Bond must race against time through treacherous underwater sequences and high-stakes confrontations to prevent global catastrophe.
What is the age rating for Thunderball?
Thunderball is rated PG in the United States, making it suitable for general audiences with parental guidance suggested for younger viewers. The film contains action violence, mild sensuality, and spy thriller content typical of the James Bond franchise of the 1960s.
How long is Thunderball?
Thunderball has a runtime of 2 hours and 10 minutes (130 minutes). At the time of its release, it was one of the longest entries in the Bond franchise, a length that accommodated its ambitious underwater action sequences and globe-trotting plot.
Did Thunderball win any awards?
Thunderball won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects at the 38th Academy Awards in 1966, recognizing the groundbreaking underwater cinematography and special effects work. The film was a massive commercial success, becoming the highest-grossing Bond film of the 1960s and one of the top-grossing films of its era.
What is the legal controversy behind Thunderball?
Thunderball was at the center of a lengthy legal dispute between Ian Fleming and producer Kevin McClory over the rights to the story. McClory had co-developed the original screenplay with Fleming and Jack Whittingham. The settlement granted McClory the right to produce Thunderball, which he later used to make the unofficial remake Never Say Never Again (1983).
More About Thunderball
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