This article contains plot spoilers from 007 First Light.Nearly three months after its launch, 007 First Light is a decided hit for its developer and publisher IO Interactive, earning largely positive critical and user reviews while selling over three million copies in less than a month. As the first James Bond video game since the disastrously received 007 Legends in 2012, and with new big movie news in sight, 007 First Light stands as the biggest bright spot for the franchise in years. With the game and its sweeping origin story for Bond out, we sat down with its cast and director Martin Emborg for a spoiler-filled talk about 007 First Light.For Priyanga Burford, who also appeared in a supporting role in the 2021 movie No Time to Die, the opportunity to be a part of the iconic franchise in multiple iterations is something she recognizes as a rare privilege. One of the big things that Burford noticed in common between the two productions was that they both employed top-notch creative talent in every step of the process, from writers to the art designers in putting both projects together. In 007 First Light, Burford plays M, who is relatively new at her job leading Britain’s greatest intelligence agency, only to find it under attack from within.cnx.cmd.push(function() {cnx({playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530",}).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796");});“I really enjoyed this new version of M and exploring her at this stage of her life before she becomes this seasoned operative that we’re used to seeing,” Burford observes. “She’s also a new venture and has got some risks to take in her own context for this story because she’s trying to do something a little bit unconventional as well. I actually felt like her and Bond were initiated somewhat together.”One figure within MI6 who fundamentally disagrees with Bond being recruited into the agency, at least at first, is John Greenway. Played by fan-favorite actor Lennie James, Greenway is a veteran 00 Agent who sees Bond as a reckless addition to the program and makes his displeasure regarding his presence vocally clear for much of the game. However, Greenway warms up to the new recruit as they begin working together on the field, weathering triumph and tragedy as Bond’s evolution into the secret agent that we know and love is noticed by his mentor.“A scene we shot quite early on is where Greenway lays out the reasons why Bond is a bad idea. It is spoken by someone who believes it,” explains James. “Over time and circumstance, Bond proves him wrong. The strength of Greenway is to admit that. Greenway, almost against his better instincts, starts to care about Bond. I think that’s a testament, not only to Bond, but the Bond that [Patrick Gibson] has created, that you believe that journey and transition is possible. He gives you an understanding of why we like Bond and why we’re on his side.”Complementing the MI6 ensemble is the agency’s genius quartermaster and inventor Q, with Alastair Mackenzie delivering an unflappable yet warm performance as the quirky gadget expert. Q quickly recognizes Bond’s potential and welcomes him into MI6 and provides him with the signature hi-tech tools to give him the edge on the field. Mackenzie relished what recording his performance entailed, with so much of his character’s appearance and world around him being digitized after his delivery, it let him rely on his imagination and acting instincts. Mackenzie also appreciated how clear of a motivation and moral compass that Q has in his role at MI6.“He’s an inventor and he’s got a calling for these extraordinary adventures and purpose for all of it – he’s saving the world,” Mackenzie shares. “He’s got a high calling, which I find interesting. I find the idea of having a clear moral sense of purpose right up my alley. I like the Saville Row idea of it as well, that he’s well-put together but that he’s not vain. There’s no vanity to it, he’s just proper.”For director Martin Emborg, working with such a talented cast elevated the material, especially as the actors added their own spin and observations on the characters that weren’t necessarily present in the original script. Having lived with the story in his head for so long during the development process, the chance to share it with the cast and see them work with the material was an enlightening one. As the creative team got a feel for the story’s tone as the production continued, they found themselves revisiting certain moments to make the experience flow better, particularly with the systemic dialogue within the game.“We had a few scenes with Bond where it became a little too somber and serious,” Emborg explains further. “It is a balancing act. Because the story goes through a lot, with a lot of tonal shifts in it, you have sections that are very informed by darkness and sections that are very playful. So, we had a few scenes that we had to do again because it didn’t sit well in the flow of things.”To move over to spoiler territory, one of the darker and more serious moments in the game is the death of Greenway, mortally wounded during a thrilling set piece in a Vietnamese quarry. As the two operatives enjoy a rare quiet moment between the explosive action to reflect before Greenway passes away, he urges Bond to not let the world of espionage change him as a person. The scene is one of the most emotional in 007 First Light, with James explaining that the moment marks the passing of the torch between 00 Agents in the shadow of soul-taxing global intrigue and spycraft.“It was about the connection between Bond and Greenway and what is Greenway going to leave with this kid that he’s finally come to a place of giving a shit about,” James notes. “Greenway is a 00. He is who Bond is going to be. He has traveled, killed, deceived, calmed, and he’s saved. He’s been all the things that Bond is going to be and he wants Bond to be better than him. In that moment, it’s about generosity. It’s not about a man dying.”One character who is still shrouded in considerable mystery is Isola, whose real identity, motives, and employer all remain an ongoing secret after the conclusion of the game’s main story, who remains at large in whereabouts unknown once the game is saved. Actor Noémie Nakai also enjoyed the creative possibilities of performing through the video game medium but initially found her character to be something of an enigma based on the information she received. Working closely with Emborg, Nakai found her character and her place in the wider story.“Because I didn’t know that much, I was a bit worried that we wouldn’t have time and space in the story to show different aspects of her,” Nakai recalls. “I realized that, with a game, there would be so much more chronological and temporal space to explore all of that. Martin did sit me and Anthony Howell down one day to talk us through the whole story. He took a full sip of coffee and then he did it in one breath.”IO Interactive has already unveiled its plan for 007 First Light across its first year after its launch, including additional story missions, challenge simulations, and in-game cosmetics. A fair amount of this additional content has already been released for the game, including new TacSim missions and weapons for players to try their hand at. With even bigger plans for the game planned ahead of its one-year anniversary, this is a game that definitely has an increasing replay value as more of its secrets come to light.Developed and published by IO Interactive, 007 First Light is available now for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with a Nintendo Switch 2 release planned for later this year.The post 007 First Light’s Cast Shares the Secrets Behind James Bond’s Latest Game appeared first on Den of Geek.