007 First Light Explains Why the New James Bond Actor is Being Kept Secret

Summary

IO Interactive is sharing more insight behind its decision to keep the identity of the voice actor for 007 First Light’s James Bond.
Franchise director Jonathan Lacaille shared the studio’s desire for fans to focus more on the world and characters of 007 First Light, with cast reveals to come later.
IO Interactive has revealed that more information, including a deep dive into gameplay, will be coming for 007 First Light later this summer.

007 First Light developer IO Interactive is sharing their thought process behind why the actor chosen to portray the iconic James Bond in the game is being kept a secret. Few film franchises have become as iconic as the James Bond franchise, following the titular British Secret Service agent’s adventures around the world. The franchise stands as one of the highest-grossing media properties of all-time, with the original novels being adapted into everything from the beloved film series to comics and more. Now, James Bond’s newest video game adventure, 007 First Light, is exciting fans ahead of its release.

IO Interactive first announced that the Hitman studio would be making a game based around James Bond in 2020, then referred to as Project 007. 007 First Light will follow a much-younger James Bond than many of the film versions fans have come to know, before he claimed his “00” status with MI6. Fans got their first look at the game earlier this week, with 007 First Light featured during Sony’s June State of Play livestream. IO Interactive, however, is now being particularly secretive about the identity of its starring man.

007 First Light Can Build a Bridge Between the Films

A lot was recently revealed about 007 First Light, with the upcoming James Bond title hopefully acting as a good stopgap for the franchise’s films.

007: First Light Keeping James Bond’s Voice Actor Secret

As reported by ComicBook, IO Interactive recently shared more of its thoughts behind keeping its new James Bond’s voice a secret. The studio has yet to officially reveal the actor portraying James Bond in 007 First Light, with franchise director Jonathan Lacaille citing that the studio “wants people to care about the game first.” Lacaille expressed the studio’s desire for fans to focus not just on the identity of the James Bond in 007 First Light, but the world he will live in and the story and characters surrounding him. 007 First Light is currently expected to launch sometime in 2026.

While IO Interactive is playing its cards close to its chest with the new James Bond’s voice, many have already begun to deduce who the new Bond may be. Fans have speculated that Dexter: Original Sin actor Patrick Gibson may be IO’s new James Bond, with the actor boasting a striking resemblance to 007 First Light‘s portrayal of the secret agent. Gibson also played a similar role in the Dexter prequel to the framing of First Light‘s James Bond, serving as a younger version of the titular character from the TV series.

Fans eager to learn more about James Bond’s next video game shouldn’t have to wait much longer, according to IO Interactive. The developer revealed a deeper dive into 007 First Light coming later this summer, teasing more information about the gameplay and story of the James Bond prequel. The game will also notably stray from the pre-established James Bond canon, featuring a new original story not directly based on a pre-existing film or novel. James Bond fans should be in for an exciting summer with more news about 007 First Light to come.