A British Voice with Global Reach
Amazon MGM officially confirmed earlier this week that Steven Knight will write the next James Bond film.
Born in Marlborough, Wiltshire and raised in Birmingham, Knight is now 65 years old and one of Britain’s most acclaimed storytellers. Though often associated with gritty, working-class dramas, Knight’s creative reach extends far beyond the UK. International audiences may best know him as the creator of the stylish crime saga Peaky Blinders, but his résumé spans feature films, television, and even game shows — he co-created the original UK version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Now, his career enters a new chapter — and perhaps its most iconic one: crafting the next cinematic James Bond adventure.
Works You May Know – And Some You Should
© BBC / Caryn Mandabach Productions
Steven Knight’s body of work includes both critically lauded and creatively daring projects. International viewers may recognize his name from Peaky Blinders (2013–2022), a visually striking gangster series set in post-WWI Birmingham that has built a cult following across the globe.
He also wrote Dirty Pretty Things (2002), a socially conscious thriller set in London’s immigrant underworld, which earned him an Academy Award nomination and won accolades for its moral urgency and taut storytelling.
Other notable works include Eastern Promises (2007), directed by David Cronenberg, a gripping portrait of Russian mobsters in London; Locke (2013), a real-time, one-man drama set entirely inside a moving car and praised for its minimalist intensity; and Serenity (2019), a risk-taking psychological thriller starring Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway.
In 2021, Knight surprised audiences again with Spencer, a daring and impressionistic biopic of Princess Diana, directed by Pablo Larraín. He continues to expand his range with the espionage series The Veil and a planned Peaky Blinders feature film titled The Immortal Man.
Awards and Recognition
Steven Knight’s work has received widespread critical acclaim and industry honors. His screenplay for Dirty Pretty Things earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay, marking his international breakthrough. He later won the Evening Standard British Film Award for the same script and received a BAFTA TV nomination for Peaky Blinders. In 2020, Knight was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to drama, entertainment, and his long-standing contributions to the creative community in Birmingham.
Bond, Reimagined — But Still Dangerous
With Dune director Denis Villeneuve confirmed to helm the next James Bond film, fans can expect the kind of cinematic scale and emotional weight that has redefined modern thrillers. Knight’s appointment complements that vision with a writing style that favors character depth, moral ambiguity, and muscular dialogue.
But make no mistake — action won’t be sidelined. What Knight brings is not restraint, but resonance. His past work shows he’s at his best when danger is personal, violence has consequence, and every line of dialogue cuts just as sharply as a bullet.
Villeneuve provides the lens. Knight provides the voice. Together, they may reshape the mythos — not by reinventing Bond, but by taking him further into what he already is: a complex, brutal, and evolving figure caught between duty, ego, and emotion.
Knight Speaks: Bond Is His “Bucket List” Dream
Speaking with BBC Radio 5 Live, Knight described the Bond opportunity as deeply personal:
“It has always been on my bucket list and it’s fantastic to be invited to do it – I can’t wait to get started.”
He also hinted at his creative ambition for the script:
“I’m hoping that, being a Bond fan for so many years, it will be imbued into me and I will be able to produce something that’s the same but different, and better, stronger and bolder.”
While he gave little away, the message was clear: Knight isn’t just taking on an assignment — he’s fulfilling a long-held dream.
And with his track record in crafting emotionally complex, morally ambiguous characters, expectations for his take on Bond are already running high.
What Comes Next?
There’s no official production timeline yet — and with Denis Villeneuve still committed to Dune: Messiah, which began filming in July 2025, a Bond shoot is unlikely to begin before 2027. But behind the scenes, the machine is already moving.
Steven Knight is currently developing the script, laying the groundwork for a new era of 007. Meanwhile, the producers are expected to begin casting preparations: identifying potential candidates, conducting early screen tests, and assembling a shortlist. The goal? To find a younger Bond who can carry the franchise through the next decade — and align with the emotional, character-driven tone Knight and Villeneuve are aiming for.
A final casting decision is unlikely until Villeneuve is fully available — probably in late 2026, once Messiah is complete. But by then, Bond’s next face may already be in the room — waiting, rehearsing, and getting ready to redefine the role.
