Credit: MGM/EON ProductionsDaniel Craig’s explosive exit at the end of No Time to Die (2021), the last entry in his five-film series, left the door wide open for another actor to take up the iconic 007 mantle.
Now, Amazon MGM Studios is developing a reboot that will cast a new actor as the world’s most famous secret agent.
With Denis Villeneuve (Dune, Dune: Part Two) in the director’s chair, and Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight on writing duties, the project is set to launch a new era for Bond in film.
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All the James Bond Eras in Film
Of course, the idea of a new Bond era is nothing new as the franchise has repeatedly invented itself since Sean Connery first donned the tux and picked up the PPK in Dr. No (1962).
George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and most recently, Daniel Craig, all portrayed the character in film. But Craig’s Bond is the only one to have ever been killed on screen, leaving Amazon MGM Studios — which now has creative control of the franchise — free to cast a new actor and launch a new era, without the burden of continuing Craig’s film series.
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Who Will Play James Bond Next?
It remains to be seen who will be cast as James Bond in Amazon MGM’s reboot.
Many names have been floated online since as far back as No Time to Die was released, including Tom Holland (Spider-Man: No Way Home), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (28 Years Later), Idris Elba (Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw), and Henry Golding (Last Christmas).
Most recently, the likes of Jacob Elordi (Wuthering Heights) and Callum Turner (Eternity) have entered the conversation among fans and media outlets.
With all that said, a new actor has already been cast as Bond: in IO Interactive’s 007 First Light.
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007 First Light Is a Huge Success
007 First Light centers on a younger version of Bond played by Irish actor Patrick Gibson, previously best known for playing the young Dexter Morgan in the Paramount+ series Dexter: Original Sin (2024).
The game also stars Priyanga Burford (M), Kiera Lester (Miss Moneypenny), Naomie Ackie (Miss Roth), Alastair Mackenzie (Q), Lennie James (John Greenway), Gemma Chan (Selina Tan), and Lenny Kravitz (Bawma).
“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 synopsis reads.
Released on May 27, 007 First Light has been a huge success, impressing critics and selling almost 3 million copies in its first two weeks of release. IO Interactive has already unveiled upcoming DLCs and expansions with a new “Year One Content” overview, which confirms new TacSim challenges, new gadgets, and new story modes and missions. Watch the video below:
Will There Be Any 007 First Light Sequels?
As for sequels to First Light, there’s been some confusion about how they might be handled.
Following the game’s release, in an interview with Polygon, Jeff Gattis, General Manager of gaming at Amazon, said that while the tech giant “didn’t have the full rights to this First Light James Bond game,” sequels will be “done by MGM and, theoretically, by Amazon Game Studios.”
“We did not [make First Light]. We do have a stake in it because we now own the IP,” Gattis explained, “but that IP acquisition happened after the First Light IO deal was already done.”
From this, it was widely understood that, as a result of Amazon MGM Studios’ acquisition of the franchise, future James Bond games — including any sequels to 007 First Light — would be published in-house by Amazon Game Studios and not through developer IO Interactive’s self-publishing arrangement. However, Amazon Game Studios later issued the following statement.
“Amazon MGM holds the rights to any future James Bond video games but it’s still too early to discuss future projects.
“We have a great relationship with IO Interactive and are proud of what we’ve accomplished together on 007 First Light. Our partners at IO will reveal more about 007 First Light in the near future and we’re looking forward to sharing what’s next.”
Now, Gattis has addressed confusion regarding the development and publishing of future games.
“First of all, let me set the record straight for you,” he said in an interview with IGN at Summer Game Fest, explaining, “I did not confirm that Amazon Game Studios is publishing the next one. Did not say that. So unfortunately, it got picked up, and once it runs, it runs. No, IO’s been great. They’ve been great partners. In fact, I was over there visiting them in Copenhagen a couple of months ago. The game’s doing great. Let’s let the game breathe and have its day.”
Gattis continued: “Trust that we’re going to be smart about this. I mean, it’s market appetite. As long as we feel there’s a desire for players to have the game, it’s safe to say it’s going to be made.”
He later said: “Seems like a sequel should be made.”
Patrick Gibson’s Bond Will Return
There have been plans for 007 First Light to be developed into a series for some time.
Last year, IO Interactive boss Hakan Abrak told IGN that there were hopes for the game to launch a “big trilogy”, with a James Bond that can be “built from the ground up for gamers,” one they can “call their own and grow with” throughout the course of more entries within the series.
He also said that the new 007 game series could grow alongside the next era of films from Amazon MGM Studios: “I just hope we’ll do a thing that will define James Bond in gaming for years to come,” adding, “And that is not only one game, but that we create a universe for gamers to own for many years to come that we can grow with that next to the Bond on the movies.”
So, given the game’s success, it seems Patrick Gibson’s 007 will return alongside Amazon MGM’s new Bond saga.
Whether or not Daniel Craig’s 007 could return in a future film, though, remains to be seen.
007 First Light is now available.
Would you like to see Patrick Gibson return as James Bond in a 007 First Light sequel? And what about Daniel Craig? Do you think he could somehow reprise his role despite being killed off in No Time to Die? Share your thoughts with us!
