Credit: Inside the MagicA new James Bond film is underway at Amazon MGM Studios. Directed by Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049, Dune) with a screenplay by Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders), it will mark the beginning of a new era for 007 in film, with a new actor taking on the iconic role.
Related: Has Amazon MGM Cast a Female James Bond? Here’s Everything We Know
Recently, the studio confirmed that the search for the next actor to lead the film reboot had begun, with casting director Nina Gold reportedly leading the hunt.
But while we wait for casting news, a new 007 reboot has already arrived. And now, one of its female cast members has spoken out about her role.
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IO Interactive’s third-person action-adventure video game 007 First Light has finally launched across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows to positive reviews, with many praising its gameplay, writing, and Patrick Gibson’s performance as a young James Bond who must “earn the number.”
It also sold 2.7 million units within its first week of release.
“Follow James Bond as a young, resourceful, and sometimes reckless recruit in MI6’s training program, and discover an origin story of the world’s most famous spy,” the official synopsis for the game reads.
Female James Bond Actor Breaks Silence on Role
In addition to Gibson, who was previously best known for the Paramount+ series Dexter: Original Sin (2024), 007 First Light also stars Priyanga Burford (M), Kiera Lester (Moneypenny), Naomie Ackie (Miss Roth), Alastair Mackenzie (Q), Lennie James (John Greenway), Lenny Kravitz (Bawma), and Gemma Chan (Dr. Selina Tan).
Since the game’s release, a series of videos titled “Cast Session” have centered on cast members from the game discussing their performances. Now, Gemma Chan, who has appeared in blockbuster films such as Crazy Rich Asians (2018) and the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Captain Marvel (2019) and Eternals (2021), is finally speaking out on her role.
Chan plays an original character named Dr. Selina Tan, MI6’s Head of Tactical Simulation. In the video, when asked what it was like seeing her character in the game for the first time, she describes it as “surreal,” explaining that while she had an “inkling” of what the developers were planning to do with the look of the character, that it was still a “surprise.”
When asked how the role differs from film, she says that providing the voice work and motion capture performance for a video game character is a “different and interesting challenge” as it doesn’t involve sets, costumes, camera angles, and other actors, “You’re often on your own, in a booth,” she says, “so you have to completely use your imagination and project yourself into the character.”
But who is Dr. Selina Tan? Well, Chan says she’s “whip-smart, intelligent, and very driven,” and that “she really pushes Bond and shapes him into the agent he’s going to become.”
Watch the full video below:
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Asked if she has any words for the players, Chan says “they should take their time” with the new game and “really enjoy exploring the story that has been amazingly put together,” adding that “there’s lots of layers and depth to the storylines and characters.”
From development through release, 007 First Light has been given the same care and attention as a James Bond film. Not only does it have its own theme song with Lana Del Rey’s “First Light” and an accompanying title sequence, but it was also given its own red-carpet event in London ahead of release, with the creative crew and ensemble cast present.
007 First Light is now available. There’s no release date for the untitled film reboot.
Will you be playing 007 First Light? Let us know in the comments below!
