How ‘007 First Light’ Composers Tackled James Bond’s New Origin With Lana Del Rey

BusinessHollywood & EntertainmentHow ‘007 First Light’ Composers Tackled James Bond’s New Origin With Lana Del ReyByJosh Weiss,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Josh Weiss is a writer covering the nexus of pop culture and Judaism.Follow AuthorMay 27, 2026, 11:47am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Key art for '007 First Light'Courtesy of IO InteractiveAs Amazon MGM begins its search for the next James Bond star—a process that is certain to last a good, long time—fans of the long-running espionage franchise can find (quantum of) solace in 007 First Light.Now available from Hitman developer IO Interactive, the video game presents a new origin story for the debonair secret agent known for his license to kill, quippy one-liners, and a predilection for shaken vodka martinis. Dexter: Original Sin alum Patrick Gibson takes on the role of a 26-year-old Bond, who starts out as a green-horned MI6 recruit fresh out of his service as a Royal Navy air crewman.“You are not the Bond that everyone’s been watching in the films for the last 10 to 20 years,” First Light co-composer Alexis Smith recently told me over Zoom. “You're someone who is going to get there, but you're not there yet.”As a child growing up in the United Kingdom throughout the ‘80s and ’90s, Smith was practically raised on the Dalton and Brosnan movies. “James Bond is within us, it’s part of us,” he said of the character’s hallowed place in British culture. “I think Casino Royale is the best film, but GoldenEye has a special place in my heart, because it was the one that came out as I was just starting to work in the music industry. I had just turned pro, and the guy I was working for worked on the Tina Turner track. I just thought that was the coolest thing ever."He and his collaborator Joe Henson form a musical duo known as The Flight (Henson was una...