IO Interactive, the award-winning developer and publisher behind the HITMAN franchise, and Amazon MGM Studios announced that Grammy Award winner Lenny Kravitz has joined the ensemble cast of 007 First Light as The Pirate King Bawma, the charismatic and unpredictable leader of a powerful black-market arms network.
Featuring the likeness and voiceover work from Lenny Kravitz in a video game for the first time, Bawma will be a figure who blurs the line between ally and adversary in Bond’s journey. During The Game Awards, the Pirate King Bawma appeared in a brand-new trailer, holding James Bond as well as Bond’s mentor at MI6, John Greenway, in a delicate situation, aiming to remove any outside interference.
“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,” shared Lenny Kravitz. “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.”
“Lenny brings an extraordinary presence to 007 First Light,” said Hakan Abrak, CEO at IO Interactive. “He is a one-of-a-kind performer, with unbelievable charisma, who fits perfectly with the character of Bawma. He captured exactly what we envisioned: a formidable man who commands both fear and loyalty, which will have a profound impact on Bond’s journey into the world of espionage.”
007 First Light is set to release on March 27, 2026, on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox ROG Ally X, Xbox ROG Ally, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC, and is available for pre-order, including the newly announced Collector’s Edition.
View the full list of The Game Awards 2025 nominees and winners here.
Read our recap of the biggest announcements from The Game Awards 2025 here.
