Rock icon Lenny Kravitz has landed a role as the formidable villain in the upcoming James Bond video game, 007: First Light.

This marks his first venture into the world of gaming, providing both the voice and physical likeness for the character known as The Pirate King Bawma.

Bawma is set up as the leader of Aleph, a massive black-market arms network operating across the Western hemisphere. 

His backstory is Bond villain material: "By 17, he had risen through the ranks of modern piracy, transforming an abandoned ship graveyard in Mauritania into the foundation of his empire.” 

The 61-year-old is stoked to be part of the legacy: “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.” 

It’s not his first rodeo - Kravitz has acted before as Cinna in the first two Hunger Games movies. He believes the character is a perfect fit for his energy.

“He’s magnetic and unpredictable, there’s danger in him, but also heart and purpose,” Kravitz explains.

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.

IO Interactive, the video game developer, CEO Hakan Abrak is equally hyped, noting Kravitz's unique presence. 

“Lenny brings an extraordinary presence to 007 First Light,” Abrak comments. “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”.

The game, which is a reimagined origin story for a young James Bond, will be out on March 27, 2026, across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC and online.

Time to dust off the gaming rig for this one.