The next actor to portray James Bond has been revealed as Patrick Gibson, who will star as the iconic spy in 007 First Light, the upcoming origin story from Hitman developer IO Interactive.
Gibson, 30, known for roles in Dexter: Original Sin, Shadow and Bone, and The OA, will play a 26-year-old Bond at the beginning of his intelligence career, making him the youngest on-screen version of the character to date.
Speaking from IO Interactive’s Copenhagen studio, Narrative Director Martin Emborg explained the decision to cast a rising star rather than an established household name. The team’s priority, he said, was finding an actor who could embody a younger, less-refined Bond.
“The search was less about who becomes our Bond and more about who can shoulder this young version of the character,” Emborg stated. “Working with big names is a different exercise. It’s not about finding the character as much as saying, ‘Oh, wouldn’t it be cool if so-and-so were Bond?’ I don’t think that was super attractive at any point.”
Emborg praised Gibson for bringing an excitable confidence and charm to the role, combined with a brashness suited to an inexperienced agent.
“What he brings to the character is energy,” Emborg said. “He’s a very dynamic guy. He also has a great gravity to him and can bring a dramatic performance to life in the room. There’s a great balance between it being fun and games and then being able to switch into something that is hardcore serious.”
The game will also feature familiar characters, including M (Priyanga Burford), Q (Alastair Mackenzie), and Miss Moneypenny (Kiera Lester). They are joined by new additions such as Bond’s mentor, John Greenway, played by Lennie James (Fear the Walking Dead), and Miss Roth, played by Noemie Nakai.
