Licence to Kill_
"James Bond is out on his own and out for revenge."
After capturing the notorious drug lord Franz Sanchez, Bond's close friend and former CIA agent Felix Leiter is left for dead and his wife is murdered. Bond goes rogue and seeks vengeance on those responsible, as he infiltrates Sanchez's organization from the inside.
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
DROPTHE_ GOSSIP
Box office
Licence to Kill earned $156.2M worldwide on a $32.0M budget — a 388% return on investment.
John Glen →
Year context
Licence to Kill was released 37 years ago in 1989.
CAST (20)
Timothy Dalton
James Bond
Carey Lowell
Pam Bouvier
Robert Davi
Franz Sanchez
Talisa Soto
Lupe Lamora
Anthony Zerbe
Milton Krest
Frank McRae
Sharkey
Everett McGill
Killifer
Wayne Newton
Professor Joe Butcher
Benicio del Toro
Dario
Anthony Starke
Truman-Lodge
Pedro Armendáriz Jr.
President Hector Lopez
Desmond Llewelyn
Q
David Hedison
Felix Leiter
Priscilla Barnes
Della Churchill
Robert Brown
M
Caroline Bliss
Miss Moneypenny
Don Stroud
Heller
Grand L. Bush
Hawkins
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
Kwang
AB
Alejandro Bracho
Perez
CREW
BOX OFFICE
$32.0M
Budget
$156.2M
Revenue
+388%
ROI
MASSIVE HIT
Verdict
STUDIOS (2)
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
133 min (2h 13m)
Language
English
Country
Rating
6.4/10 (2,095 votes)
Popularity
6
Budget
$32,000,000
Box Office
$156,167,015
Profit
+$124,167,015
IMDB
Trailer
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Licence to Kill about?
After capturing the notorious drug lord Franz Sanchez, Bond's close friend and former CIA agent Felix Leiter is left for dead and his wife is murdered. Bond goes rogue and seeks vengeance on those responsible, as he infiltrates Sanchez's organization from the inside.
How long is Licence to Kill?
Licence to Kill has a runtime of 133 minutes (2h 13m).
Who directed Licence to Kill?
Licence to Kill was directed by John Glen.
Who stars in Licence to Kill?
The cast of Licence to Kill includes Timothy Dalton, Carey Lowell, Robert Davi, Talisa Soto, Anthony Zerbe.
How much did Licence to Kill make at the box office?
Licence to Kill earned $156,167,015 worldwide at the box office. The production budget was $32,000,000.
What is the rating of Licence to Kill?
Licence to Kill has a rating of 6.4 out of 10 based on 2,095 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (3)
Adventure
Action
Thriller
KEYWORDS (13)
florida
corruption
airplane
liberation of prisoners
drug trafficking
secret identity
floatplane
transport of prisoners
tank car
florida keys
coast guard
british secret service
james bond