Knight's Revelation
Steven Knight, creator of Peaky Blinders, is writing the 26th James Bond film, which will reboot the franchise with a new lead actor. In a Radio 4 Today interview on Tuesday, he admitted that learning the actor's identity made his job easier, but stressed he must write the character, not the actor. He declined to reveal when he found out, referring to his previous answer.[S1]
Casting Speculation
Gary Oldman recently backed his Slow Horses co-star Jack Lowden, who has become the bookmakers' favorite. Other contenders include Jack Barton, Callum Turner, Jacob Elordi, and Harris Dickinson. The decision is being made by Amy Pascal, David Heyman, and director Denis Villeneuve, who will also direct the film.[S1]
Knight's Approach
Knight said he is trying to ignore the frenzy around the project, which will be the first Bond film since Barbara Broccoli handed control to Amazon. He described it as a duty for king and country, and praised Bond's British identity, distinct from DC or Marvel. He also feels a responsibility to Ian Fleming's source material.[S1]
Production Timeline
The last Bond film, No Time to Die (2021), was Daniel Craig's final outing. The new film is not expected to start shooting until after Villeneuve releases Dune: Part 3 in December. Casting director Debbie McWilliams previously emphasized the need for Bond to remain an enigma, and Rory Kinnear, who played Bill Tanner, hopes for some continuity with Craig's era.[S1]
