Final yr, IO Interactive revealed that musician and singer Lenny Kravitz can be making his online game debut in 007: First Light – not because the singer of a film-like Bond Theme, however as an precise character within the sport. Forged as Bawma, a charismatic pirate king with a mysterious edge, Kravitz’s online game debut guarantees motion, intrigue, and a touch of rockstar theatrics. I had the chance to talk with him about his function within the sport, his decades-long love for the Bond movies, and to attempt to glean somewhat bit extra about his character’s function on this twist on a conventional Bond story.
Initially introduced as “Undertaking 007” in 2020, IO Interactive has began to loosen the valve on details about its upcoming sport starring the worldwide man of thriller. Whereas we nonetheless haven’t had an opportunity to go hands-on with the venture, it appears promising. Mixing Hitman-style stealth-action with the globetrotting cinematic shine and sense of humor you’d count on from any silver display journey starring your decide of the actors who’ve held a license to kill, it feels applicable that its villains can be bigger than life, similar to within the novels and movies. That each one begins with a bit of blockbuster stunt casting.
Although he’s new to the sequence as an actor, Kravitz’s love for the James Bond motion pictures as a fan goes again to his time lining as much as see Roger Moore’s movies in junior excessive and highschool. “I used to line up on the primary evening it will be within the theater with a pal of mine,” the musician informed me, ensuring to pay lip service to his favourite main males, Roger Moore and Sean Connery. “The theme songs had been at all times superb, too, at all times epic,” he informed me, reminiscing on Carly Simon’s No one Does It Higher from The Spy Who Beloved Me earlier than shouting out his favorites: Shirley Bassey’s iconic Goldfinger, Wings’ Stay and Let Die, and Duran Duran’s A View To Kill.
Kravitz’s cool charisma and rockstar persona really feel well-tuned for the function of a pirate king. However he insists that he’s not simply enjoying himself or sending up his favourite campy villains of bygone Bond movies. As a substitute, he seemed inward, drawing on his personal experiences for inspiration. “I’ve met some people which are… just like his character. I grew up within the Bahamas in addition to New York Metropolis and there have been guys who had [Bawma’s] vibe and had been doing comparable issues within the islands.” The musician informed me the toughest half of enjoying Bawma was discovering that voice and character. “It’s actually all within the voice,” he assured me. “It took a second, however finally we discovered the candy spot.”
However Kravitz isn’t only a prolific performer. He additionally introduced some of his experience as an icon within the trend world to the character, even getting concerned in giving notes to the artwork and design workforce, weighing in on Bawma’s costume as seen in his reveal trailer. From the lower of his jacket to the location of tattoos and scars, the ultimate design within the trailer was the outcome of deep collaboration between Kravitz and the IO Interactive workforce.
Throughout our dialog, Kravitz dropped just a few hints that Bawma won’t be an outright dangerous man, although, portray him as extra of a morally ambiguous antihero, reasonably than a simple villain. “He’s an fascinating man. We’re not fairly positive how he’s going to show.” IO Interactive CEO and 007 First Light Director Hakan Abrak informed me, “We needed greater than only a one-sided villain, like we needed to have some type of charisma.” Abrak added that he’s not all-out evil, teasing, “He has extra sides to him that might perhaps end up stunning within the story. You’ll want to attend to see that till the sport comes out.”
That depth performed into IO’s casting for Bawma, Abrak informed me. Throughout early conferences, IOI realized they wanted a performer who might captivate a crowd to suit the character they’d written. He informed me, “The way in which Lenny strikes, the way in which he attracts sympathy and empathy type of drags you in as an individual” performed a giant function in pushing IO to decide on the rockstar for this function.
Since these interviews, IO Interactive has introduced that 007 First Light has been delayed from March 27, 2026, to Could 27, 2026. For extra on 007 First Light, take a look at our first large preview from final yr.