’90s Rock Legend Cast as New James Bond Villain: ‘Killed My Interest’

A new James Bondvillain has entered the 007 universe, and you might recognize him from rock hits like “Fly Away” and “Are You Gonna Go My Way.”

That’s right — Lenny Kravitz is returning to acting, though this time, it’s voice acting. Before your excitement soars, no, there’s no new James Bond movie. Instead, the iconic spy is starring in a video game called 007 First Light, where Kravitz brings a black market dealer named Bawma to life.

The announcement came during the 2025 Game Awards on Thursday, December 11, where IO Interactive, the game’s developer, debuted a one-minute trailer introducing Bawma.

While the trailer offered only a quick glimpse of the gameplay, a press release gave fans a closer look at the character. Bawma is described as the “charismatic and unpredictable leader of a powerful black-market arms network” who will “blur the line between ally and adversary in Bond’s journey.”

After the clip, Kravitz addressed the audience, sharing his excitement. “It was a great honor to be asked to join 007 First Light for my first voyage into the world of video games,” he said.

“When [IO Interactive] invited me to play Bawma, an unpredictable, wild pirate ruler of Africa’s biggest black market hub, I knew I was stepping into something special.”

He continued, “Where others see chaos, Bawma sees freedom. He rose from nothing, broke free, and built his own kingdom of Alef. And his story is just beginning.”

Despite Kravitz’s enthusiasm, fans on social media have been mixed. Some say Bawma looks more like a villain from Far Cry or Cyberpunk than a traditional Bond foe.

Others critiqued Kravitz’s voice acting in the trailer. One fan bluntly wrote, “Killed my interest in this game immediately.”

Another criticized the casting choice, saying, “It’ll be 2026 when this game comes out. We’re long past the days of casting celebrities who can’t do voice acting for the sake of marketing.”

A third added, “IO can’t do anything anymore without random celebrities.”

Others were more neutral in their reactions. One fan wrote, “Gonna wait on reviews on this. I have never really liked the Hitman games but I do like 007. We shall see.”

Another added, “Idk I thought it was cool. It felt more campy, like the Brosnan films.”

This story was originally published by Parade on Dec 15, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.