Patrick Gibson has stepped into the shoes of James Bond for the video game 007 First Light, which has sold 2.7 million copies since its release two weeks ago. As a computerised Bond, Gibson is the first video game actor to lend both his voice and likeness to the role, with endorsement from Amazon MGM and Eon Productions.
The Role of a Lifetime
Gibson submitted a self-tape to Danish developers IO Interactive without knowing the full scope of the project. 'There was talk of martinis in the audition sides that gave me an inkling,' he says. 'Although at that point I didn't believe there was any way it could be that.' When he realised it was for Bond, it tested his anxiety threshold.
The key to pushing through was to lean into the pressure. 'I think the enormity of the idea helped me. It felt so impossible as a dream that I was like, sure, may as well throw my hat in here,' he explains. Seeing how IO Interactive had shaped the character solidified his resolve. 'It felt so quintessentially Bond that it was almost carrying me along.'
An Origin Story
007 First Light is an origin story, a concept Gibson is familiar with from playing young Dexter Morgan in Dexter: Original Sin. However, for Bond, he resisted aping any one portrayal. 'The most exciting part was stripping away the experiences of the Bonds we've met in books and films and being left with the DNA of who this person is?'
Narrative director Martin Emborg emphasises character depth over fan service. 'The trappings – the martinis, the one-liners, the tuxedo – very easily get a jokey, tropey quality. You need to double down on who the character is, and why he's in situations where those things exist.'
The Challenges of Performance
Gibson had to deliver the iconic line 'Bond, James Bond' with fresh sincerity. 'You have to imagine you've never heard it before. You remove yourself from the pop culture element and find truth in those moments.'
The technical aspects of video game acting added another layer. Filming required head-mounted cameras, tracking dots, blinding lights, and a morph suit. 'You're almost literally naked,' says Gibson. 'Which acting can feel like, but this takes it to a new degree.'
A New Chapter for Bond
Gibson hasn't played the game yet, but he's excited about the experience. He enjoyed seeing his character model, learning about the Aston Martin Valhalla, and hearing the theme song by Lana Del Rey and David Arnold. 'I had to constantly remind myself that I was doing it. It feels both ingrained, but also a world I couldn't possibly be a part of.'
Emborg sees the game as a meaningful alternative to film. 'We've had the literary Bond. We've had the cinematic Bond for 62 years. What we have here is an interactive Bond that exists in its own right.'
007 First Light is out now on PC, PS5, and Xbox, with a Nintendo Switch 2 release later in summer.
