Credit: Inside the MagicAmazon MGM Studio’s James Bond film reboot is in early development, with DuneĀ (2021) andĀ Dune: Part Two (2024) director Denis Villeneuve at the helm and Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight on board as writer.
The next actor to play Bond will follow in the footsteps of six actors across 26 films (including the non-Eon-produced Never Say Never Again): Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and, most recently, Daniel Craig.
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Who Will Play the Next James Bond?
Casting for James Bond in the upcoming reboot, however, has yet to take place. While plenty of names have done the rounds since Craig’s exit in No Time to Die (2021) — especially in recent months — British tabloid The Sun reports that an insider claims that the film won’t arrive until 2028, suggesting we have a long time yet to find out who the new actor will be.
Meanwhile, a new actor has already been cast as the globe-trotting spy: Irish actorĀ Patrick Gibson, who’s best known for the Paramount+ series, Dexter: Original SinĀ (2024). Gibson suits up in the third-person action-adventure 007 First LightĀ (2026) from IO Interactive. It’s an official Bond title that gives fans the youngest version of the character seen on the screen yet, with the actor portraying a 26-year-old Bond as he sets out to earn his Double-O status.
Related:Ā New James Bond Breaks Silence on Landing 007 Role in Upcoming Reboot
āFollow James Bond as a young, resourceful, and sometimes reckless recruit in MI6ās training program, and discover an origin story of the worldās most famous spy,ā the official synopsis for the game reads.
It’s also worth noting that Gibson, who recently turned 31, was 30 (perhaps even as young as 29) at the time he was providing voice work and motion capture for the game, making him one of the youngest Bond actors. In film,Ā George LazenbyĀ currently holds the title of the youngest actor, having only been 29 when he filmedĀ On Her Majesty’s Secret ServiceĀ (1969).
Now, we have our first proper look at Gibson’s pre-007 Bond in training where he sports a buzzcut, in the “Rules of Spycraft” video from IO Interactive, which outlines all the rules that will aid players throughout the game, including infiltration, the use of gadgets, silent takedowns, and gathering intel for missions. Watch it below:
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007 First Light Is Being Treated as the Next Bond Reboot
This latest reveal is hardly the first piece of promotional material for the upcoming game. We’ve seen numerous teasers, gameplay overviews, casting reveals, story trailers, behind-the-scenes featurettes, and most recently, the official Bond theme from singer Lana Del Rey — which shares its name with the game — and the accompanying opening title sequence.
As such, 007 First Light is being treated with the same love and care as any Bond film.
In addition to Patrick Gibson as Bond, the cast for the game includes Priyanga Burford (M), Kiera Lester (Miss Moneypenny), Naomie Ackie (Miss Roth), Alastair MackenzieĀ (Q),Ā Lennie JamesĀ (John Greenway),Ā Gemma ChanĀ (Selina Tan), andĀ Lenny Kravitz (Bawma).
Will Patrick Gibson Return as James Bond in Live Action?
It remains to be seen whether Gibson will play Bond in Amazon MGM Studios’ film reboot, however, his 007 First Light co-star Lennie James (The Walking Dead), who plays Bond’s mentor John Greenway, has said that “the people in control would be mad” not to consider Gibson for the part in the film.
“He’s [Gibson] fantastic in our version of Bond, and I genuinely think he should be a candidate for the main role that they’re trying to find someone for,” the actor told Radio Times Gaming at last week’s BAFTA Games Awards (via GamesRadar). “I’m sure he’s under consideration. The people in control would be mad not to consider him.”
007 First Light will be released on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows on May 27, 2026. Its Nintendo Switch 2 has been pushed back to an unspecified date later this year.
Thereās no release date forĀ the untitled film reboot.
Will you be playing 007 First Light? Do you think Patrick Gibson should play Bond in the next film? Let us know in the comments below!
