Bond’s presence in the pre-title sequence is a defining attribute, which makes its absence in From Russia With Love, Live and Let Die, and The Man With the Golden Gun all the more interesting. While most openings deliver high-octane introductions to 007, these three movies deliberately shift focus elsewhere to set an alternative tone. While we first think we see Bond’s death in From Russia With Love, it ends up an impostor, and The Man With The Golden Gun‘s focus is solely on showcasing Scaramanga’s funhouse, for good reason.

Live and Let Die, meanwhile, has to be the boldest choice in withholding Bond, especially given it’s Roger Moore’s on-screen debut and instead details a chilling montage of three MI6 agents’ murders. Delaying our first look at a new Bond until after the theme song was a risky move, but overall it paid off in positively contributing to the atmosphere and intrigue of Live And Let Die.

I’ve always enjoyed these rare Bond-less openings for how they expand the world beyond 007 and tie back into him, but their scarcity is part of their appeal. Realistically, I doubt the franchise will attempt it again, especially with the inevitable anticipation surrounding the next actor in Bond 26.