IO Interactive has released the second episode of its developer video series “Beyond the Light,” titled Cast & Characters, offering a closer look at the people who bring the world of 007 First Light to life. While Episode 1 focused mainly on the game’s core features, the new installment shifts the spotlight toward the characters and their actors.
A noticeable improvement is the structure of the episode. References to content creator reactions are used only briefly as an introduction before the video quickly moves on to the main topic. The result is a more focused and slightly more in-depth presentation, offering several interesting insights into the characters and their creation.
The nearly 15-minute developer diary includes several new screenshots, glimpses of character reference sheets, and a few behind-the-scenes moments from development. After previously sharing details about James Bond, Selina Tan, and especially the villain Bawma, the episode now highlights two iconic figures of the Bond universe: Moneypenny and Q. Compared to the characters discussed earlier, this shift also feels like a fresher perspective within the presentation. Viewers also get to hear a few words from their actors, Kiera Lester and Alastair Mackenzie.
But that wasn’t all. Immediately after the developer diary premiered, IO Interactive hosted a nearly 40-minute livestream on Twitch with Artjom Schmatkow (Community Manager) and Beatrice Harty (Lead & Senior Character Artist), where fans had the opportunity to ask questions directly. Among other things, the developers also briefly clarified technical details such as the game’s internet requirements — including that a connection will only be needed to download the Day One patch, while the main campaign itself can be played offline – more details in our separate article.
So let’s take a closer look at some of the most interesting insights from both presentations.
How Beatrice Harty’s Team Designs Characters for 007 First Light
According to Lead & Senior Character Artist Beatrice Harty, character creation at IO Interactive usually begins with input from the story team. The artists first try to understand who a character is: their gender, where they come from, what their background looks like, and which cultural influences might shape their appearance.
From there, the character design team starts exploring visual ideas. Early concepts are often inspired by quick references gathered online before the artists create initial sketches and gradually refine them. It is also common for the team to design multiple outfits for a character, sometimes tailored to different situations, roles, or moments in their daily routine.
To make these designs feel authentic, the artists try to put themselves in the character’s mindset. They ask simple but revealing questions: How is this person structured? What would they wear for breakfast? Small details like these help shape personalities that feel believable on screen.
At the same time, characters are never designed in isolation. The team carefully considers how designs contrast or complement each other, depending on the relationships between the characters. Shapes, silhouettes, and colors play an important role here, as visual elements can subtly communicate personality traits or carry cultural meanings.
Character development can also take unexpected turns. Harty recalled a situation where a character’s visual design had already been finalized — yet she personally felt the result was not particularly remarkable.
However, once the motion capture and voice performances were completed, the character suddenly felt far more compelling. Inspired by this performance, the team went back to the drawing board and adjusted the character’s appearance to better reflect this newly discovered personality.
Kissing the Frog – The Idea Behind Bawma’s Outfit
Bawma provides a good example of how these design ideas come together in practice. As the figure standing at the top of Aleph’s hierarchy, Bawma is allowed to be far more extravagant than most other characters. As a self-proclaimed “pirate king,” he has no reason to hide.
This philosophy also influenced the choice of his striking yellow outfit. Harty compared the color to a poisonous tropical frog — visually fascinating, yet clearly signaling danger through its bright warning colors.
When I asked Rasmus Poulsen at Gamescom last year whether villains in 007 First Light would lean more toward the grounded realism of Ian Fleming’s novels or toward the more eccentric archetypes seen in the films — characters like Jaws or Oddjob — he responded diplomatically that the team aims to stay rooted in reality, while still allowing room for more distinctive personalities.
Harty’s comments in both the developer diary and the livestream add a bit more clarity. She emphasized that villains should leave a strong and memorable first impression through their presence alone. Combined with the team’s focus on visual language — including silhouettes and shapes such as triangles or sharp angles, which are often subconsciously associated with antagonists — it gives the impression that 007 First Light may indeed feature some striking and memorable villains, even if IO Interactive remains careful not to turn things into a full-blown “freak show.” Personally, I’m very curious to see where they strike that balance.
Photogrammetry and the Actors Behind the Characters
For several characters — particularly those in the main cast — the actors’ real-world appearance was largely transferred into the game. To achieve this, IO Interactive used photogrammetry, a technique in which dozens of cameras arranged in a dome capture hundreds of photographs of a person. These images are then combined to create a highly detailed 3D model.
To better reconstruct facial movement and study how an actor speaks or expresses emotions, the team also recorded a wide range of facial expressions. According to Harty, this sometimes meant capturing 50 to 100 different expressions, including unusual and physically demanding poses — for example holding raised eyebrows for several seconds so the artists could analyze how wrinkles form across the forehead.
My impression is that photogrammetry, combined with motion capture, gives the animation team additional flexibility. With such detailed facial data available, developers can potentially refine or extend performances later without requiring the actors to return for additional recording sessions.
Harty also mentioned that actors like Lennie James, who portrays Greenway, have particularly expressive faces. In such cases the team sometimes has to decide which facial features should remain faithful to the actor and which might be adjusted to better fit the character.
Did IOI Really Leave Patrick Gibson Hanging?
One example where this level of detail becomes noticeable appears in the Bawma trailer, in which Bond and Greenway hang from the ceiling. The facial expressions in that scene subtly react to gravity, creating a surprisingly convincing effect.
When I asked the team during the livestream how the sequence was created, Harty suggested it was likely a combination of motion capture and hand animation. Perhaps actor Patrick Gibson simply leaned back on a support while performing the scene, allowing his head to hang naturally.
So it seems unlikely that anyone at IO Interactive actually suspended Gibson from the ceiling during production — although admittedly that would have made for a fantastic motion capture making-of moment.
Bond and Moneypenny – A Partnership Just Beginning
Narrative & Cinematic Director Martin Emborg revisits a key concept we already reported on early last year: in 007 First Light, Bond is still shaped by his early experiences and the people around him. His mentors, colleagues, and rivals at MI6 all influence the kind of agent he will eventually become.
Because 007 First Light is an interactive medium, players will spend far more time with Bond than in a typical film or novel. Emborg explains that this allows the story to explore something rarely seen in other Bond media: James reflecting more openly on the situations he finds himself in and the missions he undertakes.
.As a result, players will hear him speak much more frequently.
One character who becomes central to these interactions is Moneypenny. In the game she serves as a Field Analyst, remaining in constant communication with Bond during missions.
Actress Keira Lester, who portrays Moneypenny, explained that IO Interactive wanted to honor the long shared history between Bond and Moneypenny, while portraying their relationship at a much earlier stage. In 007 First Light, their dynamic is only just beginning and develops gradually over time — including the occasional bit of playful back-and-forth, despite the clear mutual respect between them.
Q as Mentor – The “Cool Uncle” of MI6
Another familiar figure players will encounter early on is Q, portrayed by Alastair Mackenzie. The actor revealed that he has long been a fan of Desmond Llewelyn, the legendary Q of the classic Bond films, and immediately loved the idea of taking on the role.
To Mackenzie, Q was always something like the “cool uncle” of the Bond universe — a character who combines intelligence, wit, and a slightly mischievous sense of humor.
In 007 First Light, Q introduces Bond to the technical side of espionage, but his role goes beyond gadgets and technology. He also acts as a kind of mentor or professor, guiding Bond not only through the tools of the trade but also through the subtler aspects of being a gentleman — appreciating things like a fine watch or an elegant car.
Although this version of Q is portrayed as somewhat younger, he already has considerable field experience. Mackenzie describes him as someone who looks out for Bond almost like an older friend, while still reminding him from time to time to stay focused — and not to tinker too much with his inventions.
Exactly the kind of dynamic fans would expect between the two.
Greenway, Bond and the Fallout of the 009 Mission
Emborg also revisits the tense relationship between Bond and Greenway. As previously revealed, Greenway is not particularly enthusiastic about seeing Bond in the 00 program. In his view, the other candidates earned their place through performance and excellence, while Bond merely had the “luck” of being personally noticed and recruited by M.
Interestingly, the developer diary also shows several character renders of Greenway, which may hint at developments later in the story.
We already know that the Slovakia mission to capture Agent 009 ends in disaster, and there are increasing indications that very few members of the MI6 team survive the operation.
A closer look at the renders shown in the video reveals Greenway in several different outfits — including his office attire and the elegant look he wears during the chess tournament at the Grand Carpathian.
However, in another render — a long coat outfit visually similar to Bond’s look at the funeral ceremony — Greenway’s left arm appears to be supported by a brace.
Could he have also fought the blond contract killer in the hotel’s wine cellar?
If so, it seems his injury might linger for quite some time and may not yet be fully healed by the time Bond arrives in Mauritania later in the story.
Bond and M – Two Unconventional Minds at MI6?
Another intriguing remark from Emborg suggests that Bond and M may actually share certain similarities. His comments hint at an interesting parallel between the two characters.
M herself was not necessarily seen as the obvious choice to lead MI6, just as Bond’s place in the 00 program is questioned by some within the organization.
In 007 First Light, M also appears somewhat younger than the versions many fans know from the films, and she seems to carry a similar sense of drive and energy that we see in Bond at this stage of his career.
Both characters appear to approach situations with a somewhat unconventional mindset, which could explain why M recognizes potential in Bond where others remain skeptical.
Agent 009 and Other Story Trailer Characters Remain a Mystery
To close the livestream Q&A, I asked the team about some of the still mysterious characters from the recent story trailer — including Agent 009, the man standing beside Bond during the funeral, the figure wearing the golden mask, and the woman by the pool with the necklace featuring the green crystal.
Will we learn more about them before the game launches?
According to IO Interactive, the studio deliberately wants to avoid revealing too much in advance. Some of these answers are meant to be discovered by players themselves once the game is released.
For now, that means several mysteries remain unresolved — leaving plenty of discoveries waiting for players when 007 First Light finally arrives. And if you’re curious about smaller character details — like how Greenway might take his breakfast — the developer diary and the Q&A are definitely worth a watch.
Image credit: IO Interactive.
Sources:
YouTube,com – Beyond the Light Episode 2 – Cast & Character Dev Diary
YouTube.com – Beyond the Light Episode 2 & Live Q&A | 007 First Light Dev Stream
