Credit: Paramount+We now know who the next James Bond actor is. But how does he compare to Daniel Craig?
The next James Bond actor has been revealed. The world-famous MI6 agent’s identity in the upcoming film reboot from director Denis Villeneuve (Dune: Part Two) and writer Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders) remains classified; however, we do know who will be donning the tux in the upcoming video game “007 First Light”, which is set for release sometime next year.
In an interview with Screen Rant Plus last month, actor Lennie James (The Walking Dead), who provides the voice acting and motion capture for 007’s mentor Greenway in the game, spilled the beans on who’s playing Bond — it’s Irish actor Patrick Gibson, whom fans suspected the moment the official trailer dropped around two months ago.
Who Is Patrick Gibson?
Gibson, 30, is best known for playing a young Dexter Morgan in the Paramount+ series Dexter: Original Sin (2024). He also previously appeared in the sci-fi series The OA (2016–2019) and the film Tolkien (2019) opposite Nicholas Hoult.
He’s likely to reprise his role in a second season of the Dexter prequel, although nothing has been confirmed as yet. Before that happens, we’ll see him suit up as the world’s most iconic spy in “007 First Light”.
Watch the trailer from IO Interactive below:
Related: ‘James Bond’ Reboot Finally Casts Diverse Actor in Iconic Role
How Gibson’s James Bond Differs to Daniel Craig’s
“First Light” follows a young Bond, said to be 26 years old, before he acquires his 00 status. An origin story similar to Casino Royale (2006) — the Daniel Craig era opener — the game will pit Bond against the rogue agent 009. The story is inspired by the James Bond novels and short stories by author Ian Fleming, and will see the return of other iconic characters such as M, Q, and Miss Moneypenny.
Comparing Gibson to all the actors who’ve played Bond in film — Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig — Gibson is among the youngest (although Lazenby holds that title as he was 29 when he filmed On Her Majesty’s Secret Service).
Still, Gibson’s Bond is the youngest — while Casino Royale was also an origin story, Craig was in his late thirties when he filmed it, which suggests that the character himself can’t have been that much younger, and certainly not younger than Gibson’s version.
This made sense, as Craig’s 007 was a gritty Bond, which brought an edge to the character that separated him from past iterations. Gibson’s, while in a completely different medium, appears more fresh-faced while at the same time retaining the suave façade that has defined the MI6 spy for over 60 years.
But whether or not the Dexter actor will deliver an intimate and emotionally-driven Bond like Craig’s remains to be seen.
If you want to know more about “007 First Light,” here’s everything you need to know!