The 9th James Bond film premiered in London on 19 December 1974.
The Man with the Golden Gun was intended to be the 5th Bond film, coming after You Only Live Twice (1967), and introducing Roger Moore as Bond. Production problems and Moore's commitment to The Saint TV series caused the production to be cancelled. Instead, George Lazenby would appear as Bond in On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969), followed by a return of Sean Connery in Diamonds Are Forever (1971), and then Roger Moore's first appearance as Bond in Live and Let Die (1973), before production on The Man with the Golden Gun would resume. It was the final film produced by the team of Albert Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, whose legal fights would delay the next Bond release for 3 years.
Very loosely based on Ian Fleming's 1965 novel (and the first published after his death in 1964), Tom Mankiewicz wrote the first draft before being replaced by Richard Malbaum (the two also shared credits on Diamonds are Forever and Live and Let Die). It would be Mankiewicz's last credited Bond screenplay, and the final Bond film for director Guy Hamilton (who had directed Goldfinger, Diamonds are Forever, and Live and Let Die).
The Man with the Golden Gun received mixed reviews when it was released, and while it was a box office success, it was the 4th lowest grossing Bond film and after its release, the fate of the franchise seemed to be in jeopardy.