IO Interactive and Amazon MGM Studios have revealed a new cast member for 007 First Light, confirming that Grammy Award–winning musician Lenny Kravitz will appear in the game as an original character. The announcement was made during The Game Awards, alongside a new trailer introducing Kravitz’s role in the upcoming James Bond title.

Kravitz will portray The Pirate King Bawma, the leader of Aleph, a sprawling black-market arms network operating across the Western Hemisphere. The role marks Kravitz’s first performance in a video game, with the artist providing both the character’s voice and likeness.

The trailer shows Bawma holding James Bond and Bond’s MI6 mentor, John Greenway, in a tense standoff, positioning the character as a central figure in the game’s narrative. According to IO Interactive, Bawma is intended to blur the line between ally and adversary as Bond navigates the world of espionage.

Set in a reimagined origin story, 007 First Light follows a 26-year-old James Bond at the start of his career. Before joining MI6, Bond is depicted as a Royal Navy air crewman whose skills and instincts draw the attention of British intelligence. The game blends stealth and action mechanics, drawing on IO Interactive’s experience developing the Hitman franchise.

New character details and release plans

IO Interactive said Bawma’s backstory traces his rise from modern piracy to the head of a global arms network. By the age of 17, the character had established the foundation of his empire in an abandoned ship graveyard in Mauritania, according to details shared by the developer.

007 First Light is scheduled to launch on March 27, 2026, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC, and select handheld platforms. Pre-orders are now available, including multiple special editions.

Among them is a newly announced Collector’s Edition, which includes physical and digital items such as a wearable mask replica and deluxe in-game content. IO Interactive also confirmed that players who pre-order the standard version will receive an upgrade to the Deluxe Edition, which includes early access and cosmetic bonuses.

The game is being developed and published by IO Interactive in partnership with Amazon MGM Studios, expanding the James Bond franchise further into interactive entertainment.