Developer IO Interactive has announced the game’s villain, Bawma, will be played by popular musician Lenny Kravitz.
“The Bond franchise has such an incredible legacy in video games, so to step into it with a brand-new character like Bawma is amazing,” shared Lenny Kravitz. “He’s magnetic and unpredictable, there’s danger in him, but also heart and purpose. He’s not just a man with power; he is a man who has to fight for every inch of it. Bringing that energy into 007’s world felt incredible.”
“Lenny brings an extraordinary presence to 007 First Light,” said Hakan Abrak, CEO at IO Interactive. “He is a one-of-a-kind performer, with unbelievable charisma, who fits perfectly with the character of Bawma. He captured exactly what we envisioned: a formidable man who commands both fear and loyalty, which will have a profound impact on Bond’s journey into the world of espionage.”
Here’s a rundown on the new details, plus a new trailer:
Grammy Award winner Lenny Kravitz has joined the ensemble cast of 007 First Light as The Pirate King Bawma, the charismatic and unpredictable leader of a powerful black-market arms network. Featuring the likeness and voiceover work from Lenny Kravitz in a video game for the first time, Bawma will be a figure who blurs the line between ally and adversary in Bond’s journey.
During The Game Awards, the Pirate King Bawma appeared in a brand-new trailer, holding James Bond as well as Bond’s mentor at MI6, John Greenway, in a delicate situation, aiming to remove any outside interference. Lenny Kravitz takes on the role of Bawma, providing both the voice and physical likeness of the character, his first major performance in a video game. Bawma is the enigmatic leader of Aleph, a vast black-market arms network operating across the Western hemisphere. By 17, he had risen through the ranks of modern piracy, transforming an abandoned ship graveyard in Mauritania into the foundation of his empire.
IO Interactive also unveiled 007 First Light – Collector’s Edition, which is now available for pre-order for PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC for $199.99, €199,99, £169.99 (SRP). It includes the full game, the Deluxe Edition content, the Obsidian Gold Suit outfit, a wearable Mask Lifesize Replica, a Certificate of Authenticity, and a Steel Case with Magnet.
007 First Light is set to launch earlier next year, on March 27th across Windows PC (via Steam and the Epic Games Store), Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2, and PlayStation 5.
