The James Bond franchise is preparing for a double dose of reimagining — one on the big screen, and one in the gaming world.
While Amazon MGM’s upcoming Bond film from director Denis Villeneuve (Dune: Part Two) and writer Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders) moves forward, IO Interactive is developing “007 First Light,” the series’ first major console gaming release in well over a decade.
“First Light” will chart the early days of Bond’s MI6 career, following him from reckless recruit to the spy the world knows today.
IO describes the third-person title as a “thrilling narrative action adventure” and is aiming for a 2026 release on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows.
Fans have been speculating for months over who's playing 007 in the game, with many pointing to Irish actor Patrick Gibson, best known for playing a young Dexter Morgan in Dexter: Original Sin (2024).
IO has kept quiet, with franchise director Jonathan Lacaille recently telling RadioTimes.com that casting would be revealed later this summer — but now the secret is out, thanks to another actor from the upcoming game.
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During a recent interview with Screen Rant Plus, Lennie James — revealed in the game’s trailer as Bond’s mentor, Greenway — confirmed his own involvement, as well as the actor playing 007. “I really enjoyed my time in the game, acting through those scenes with Paddy [Patrick] Gibson, who plays Bond,” James said.
With that, months of speculation have been settled: Patrick Gibson is indeed the new Bond in “First Light”.
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But the reveal also raises an intriguing possibility — could Gibson’s turn as 007 extend beyond the game and into Denis Villeneuve’s new film?
Lacaille has said the game won’t be canon with Amazon MGM’s film series, but the idea of introducing fans to a new Bond in gaming before handing him the cinematic keys to the Aston Martin isn't impossible.
Lennie James himself was asked about the possibility of playing Greenway or a new character on the big screen. He said, “I'm always interested in good parts really, regardless of what genre or where they're at. I'm an Englishman, so the idea of being involved in a Bond thing would be great. It's like being in the Doctor Who franchise, or being in things that are quintessentially British.”
Whether or not Patrick Gibson makes the leap to the big screen, his casting marks a new chapter for the legendary spy in interactive form. “First Light” arrives in 2026, while the release date for the next Bond film remains unknown.
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