LOS ANGELES: Steven Knight, acclaimed creator of the hit Netflix series Peaky Blinders, has been tapped to write the script for the upcoming James Bond film.
The new instalment in the iconic spy franchise will be directed by Dune filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, under the banner of Amazon MGM Studios, marking the first Bond film since Amazon acquired MGM in 2022.
Villeneuve's wife and creative partner, Tanya Lapointe, will serve as executive producer, while Amy Pascal and David Heyman are on board as producers.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Knight’s appointment signals a turning point for the Bond series, particularly with the departure of longtime writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade. The duo had written every Bond film since 1999’s The World Is Not Enough, starring Pierce Brosnan.
Knight, whose screenwriting credits include critically acclaimed films such as Eastern Promises, Locke, Allied, Spencer, and Maria, brings a fresh voice to the franchise at a time of transition.
Daniel Craig, who portrayed 007 across five films starting with Casino Royale (2006) and concluding with No Time To Die (2021), has officially retired from the role. With both a new director and screenwriter in place, speculation is building around who will next don the tuxedo and take up the licence to kill.
Following Amazon’s acquisition of MGM, creative control over the Bond franchise became a point of contention with longtime producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. However, a new joint venture formed in February this year resolved the standoff, allowing Amazon MGM Studios, Wilson, and Broccoli to co-own the James Bond intellectual property. Despite the shared ownership, Amazon MGM now holds creative control.
The film is expected to usher in a new era for the storied franchise—one of cinema’s longest-running and most celebrated.