Following the surprise announcement that Milla Jovovich is joining Hitman: World of Murder and Gemma Chan's upcoming role as Selina Tan in 007 First Lightthe entire energy in the room changed when Lenny Kravitz took the stage at the IO Interactive presentation. This was on the heels of the reveal of his smug new character, the pirate king Bawma, in the next James Bond adventure.
IOI wants to take a fresh look at how players connect with the Bond mythos in 2025 and beyond. During our conversation, senior licensing producer Theuns Smith made one thing clear: Kravitz didn't just join the world; they built part of it around it.
“Kravitz really understood Bouma’s character from the beginning,” Smith explained. “He can carry this sense of charisma but at the same time be sort of an antagonist where you don't really know where you stand with him. He's fluid. He demands respect and fear.”
Bold soundscape
According to Smith, a four-time Grammy winner and star of the original The Hunger Games The films bring such commanding presence and effortless charisma that he inhabits the role as if it were written for him, instantly feeling like he belongs in the pantheon of unforgettable Bond villains. While Smith didn't reveal how important Bouma is to the story, he promised players will encounter plenty of “unexpected twists” and encouraged them to experience the journey for themselves.
Given Kravitz's musical legacy and long history of iconic Bond themes, I had to ask the obvious question: Will First light get your own original theme song? The last time there was a Bond game was in 2010, when Joss Stone's I'll Take It All was released. James Bond 007: Bloodstoneand before that, Mia lent her voice to a 2004 EA game. James Bond 007: All or Nothing. Smith didn't reveal any secrets, but emphasized how important music is to the overall vision of the game.
“We’re really working on improving the quality of the game,” Smith said. “Games are often praised for their visuals, but it's the audio that makes the game immersive. We're working with extremely talented musicians and sound designers to bring this level of musicality to the game.”
He didn't confirm whether a signature theme will appear, but the way he emphasized the “full experience” suggests there's something big going on behind the scenes. And with an artist like Kravitz already in the building, the possibilities seem wide open.
Impulse direction as the cornerstone of design
Unlike previous games featuring the iconic MI6 agent, 007: First Light this is not a tie-in to the film, but an original IOI take starring Patrick Gibson (Shadow and Bone & Dexter: Original sin) stars Bond in his mid-20s who wants to achieve 00 status as a young MI6 agent.
According to Smith, it is a “third-person action adventure” designed from the ground up to introduce an entirely new Bond in an origin story. Judging by early previews, the game definitely draws on past gaming incarnations of Bond, as well as IO's current developments. killer series and other plot actions that will remind many Sony's unknown row.
This structure allows IOI to create its own rhythm for Bond while still respecting the decades of storytelling that came before.
“If you're a fan, you'll see nods and winks to the journey and the franchise,” Smith said. “But we're also focused on bringing a new, exciting, reimagined origin story to the space.”
And unlike many previous Bond games, which relied heavily on shooting or stealth, First light guides impulse as the cornerstone of design.
“When it turns into a shootout, Bond improvises,” Smith explained. “He grabs things around him, like throwing things, throwing a shotgun off the ground, grabbing it in the air, shooting until it's empty, then throwing the gun at someone and closing the gap. It's always moving forward, moving forward.”
This sense of kinetics was demonstrated in an early mission demo in Slovakia: a car chase in an Aston Martin, a chase across an airfield, and Bond doing what Bond does: staying in motion.
Increased realism
Working with a global icon like Bond means there are rules. The true story is common in various media outside of film, such as the Ian Fleming books that inspired the franchise. There is a tone that fans have come to expect. But Smith says collaboration with Amazon MGM gives IOI room to grow.
“It's about doing justice to the intellectual property and staying true to the story, the characters and the world,” Smith shared. “But it’s also about bringing something new to the space.”
This balance can be seen in how First light moves closer to gadgets, one of the pillars of Bond's identity. “We're giving you the full 360° Bond experience,” Smith said, before hinting at a potential hub-like area between missions. “You can go to Q Lab. You can go to Q. He's the fun character in our game and he's the brains behind all the gadgets.”
This philosophy shaped the team's approach to “heightened realism”, where grounded everyday objects are reimagined as tools of the profession: a telephone becomes a “dark phone” that fires a blinding flash to disorient enemies, a lighter fires smoke bombs for a quick escape, and a watch strap hides a laser capable of cutting through open doors or disarming enemies. “It’s all about connecting gadgets to everyday things you wouldn’t expect,” Smith added, “but elevated to the level of Bond fantasy.”
While IOI is known for its finely tuned stealth action, vehicle scenes are relatively new territory for the studio. Given this signature part of Bond's personality, this is non-negotiable.
“Sometimes the story feels like a car moment,” Smith said. “We wanted to honor that. It's something new for us, but you'd expect it from James Bond, so we put it in.”
IOI is set to rebuild the Bond universe with new stars, new stories and new threats. First light feels like the beginning of an era based on bold decisions, unforgettable personalities and dynamic gameplay. Expect the game to release on March 27, 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox series X and Series S, PC and Nintendo Switch 2.
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