Lenny Kravitz To Play Bond Villain in ‘007: First Light’ Video Game

The musician said his antagonist character is “as charismatic as he is unpredictable”

Lenny Kravitz is in his Bond era. The musician will portray a villain named Bawma in the forthcoming video game 007: First Light, which was announced last night at the Game Awards.

Kravitz, who attended the awards for the casting announcement, described the character as “the largest black-market dealer in the Western Hemisphere who’s as charismatic as he is unpredictable.” He added, “He rose from nothing, broke free, and built his own Kingdom of Aleph.”

007: First Light will feature Dexter: Origin Sin star Patrick Gibson as a younger version of James Bond. The game is set for release in 2026 and is described as a third-person story-driven action-adventure game that reimagines the origin story for a 26-year-old Bond. The first trailer showcases Kravitz’s villain, who leads Aleph and is threatening Bond with death.

“The Bond franchise has such an incredible legacy in video games, so to step into it with a brand-new character like Bawma is amazing,” Kravitz said in a statement. “He’s magnetic and unpredictable, there’s danger in him, but also heart and purpose. He’s not just a man with power; he is a man who has to fight for every inch of it. Bringing that energy into 007’s world felt incredible.”

Other cast members include Gemma Chan, Priyanga Burford, Kiera Lester, Alastair Mackenzie, Lennie James, and Noemie Nakai. The game has yet to get a release date, but is expected to be released for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.

Although Kravitz is first and foremost a musician, he has several acting credits to his name. He notably appeared in the Hunger Games films as Cinna, the stylist to Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen. He most recently had a supporting role in 2024 black comedy The Trainer, playing himself. In September, Kravitz joined Dua Lipa on stage at Madison Square Garden to perform “It Ain’t Over ’Til It’s Over.”