The series has its cinematic traditions which date from the first film, with occasional exceptions. At the start of each film, the gun barrel sequence is shown, accompanied by the opening bars of the James Bond theme. The view is of Bond as seen through the barrel of a gun that is being trained on him by an unknown assailant. Bond wheels around and shoots directly at the gun/camera, followed by the assassin’s blood spilling across the barrel. In Dr. No, this was followed by the main title sequence, but in all but one of the subsequent films, a pre-title sequence follows that is loosely connected to the film’s plot, and which is, in turn, followed by the opening credits. These title sequences incorporate visual elements reflecting the film’s theme and, often, silhouettes of nude or provocatively clad women. A contemporary artist usually sings during this sequence, and an instrumental version of the main track may also feature as a leitmotif during the film.

Besides Dr. No, the lone film to vary from this combination of sequences, to date, has been Casino Royale (2006). This film is a reboot of the franchise, establishing a new timeline and narrative framework; and many of the conventions of the series were consciously left out of the movie, or are re-introduced. To this end, the gun barrel sequence is not used to start the film, but is instead re-introduced to conclude the pre-title sequence that depicts Bond’s qualifying for "00" status, leading directly into the opening credits. As of January 2008 it had not yet been announced as to whether Quantum of Solace will reinstate the gunbarrel introduction.

So far only two Bond films, Casino Royale and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, do not end with Bond kissing the main Bond girl, making love to her, or implying that he will do so (in both cases this is due to the female character being deceased by the film’s conclusion). Sometimes Bond’s superiors catch him during his embraces. Every film except Dr. No (1962) and Thunderball (1965) has either the line "James Bond will return..." or "James Bond will be back" at the end of the closing credits. Until Octopussy (1983), the title of the next film to be produced was also be named, although these were sometimes incorrect, as the filmmakers decided to adapt another novel, or in the case of A View to a Kill, the final title of the film was shortened from the original proposed title, From a View to a Kill.

With the exception of the 2006 version of Casino Royale, every Bond film to date includes a sequence in which Bond interacts with Miss Moneypenny, the personal assistant to M, Bond’s superior. A running joke throughout the film series is Moneypenny’s unrequited love for Bond and his playful flirting with her. A fantasy sequence in Die Another Day marks the only time in the EON film series in which Moneypenny was actually shown in a romantic embrace with Bond. The character was dropped from the reboot film Casino Royale, the first Bond film in which Moneypenny did not appear, and the character will not appear in Quantum of Solace, either.

Another ongoing tradition is the technical briefing, in which Bond receives special equipment from Q Branch to be used in his mission. In Dr. No, this consists of the armourer, Major Boothroyd, instructing Bond on a new firearm, the Walther PPK, but beginning with From Russia with Love the briefings involved various gadgets and technology, and Boothroyd was now referred to as Q. Each Bond film thereafter up until Die Another Day contains a technical briefing of some kind, usually given by Q, with the exception of Live and Let Die, in which Q does not appear and Bond himself describes his mission equipment to M and Moneypenny, and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service in which Q does not brief 007 but is shown briefing M about a gadget. Q is often shown joining Bond in the field, taking with him a portable workshop and staff and an off-and-on tradition showed these workshops established in unusual locations, such as an Egyptian tomb in The Spy Who Loved Me and a South American monastery in Moonraker. On two occasions, in Octopussy and Licence to Kill, Q takes active roles in Bond’s missions. With the 2006 Casino Royale reboot, the character of Q was, like Moneypenny, dropped, and although Bond still receives a supply of mission equipment, no technical briefing is shown on screen. It has been announced that Quantum of Solace will not feature Q, either.