Amazon MGM Studios has officially tapped acclaimed screenwriter Steven Knight to write the next James Bond film, which will be directed by Dune and Sicario filmmaker Denis Villeneuve. The project marks a significant shift in the long-running spy franchise, signalling a new creative direction under Amazon’s stewardship.
Knight, best known as the creator of Peaky Blinders, steps in to take over writing duties from long-time Bond scribes Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, whose tenure began with 1999’s The World Is Not Enough and ended with Daniel Craig’s No Time to Die in 2021.
This will also be the first Bond installment not overseen by franchise veterans Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson. Earlier this year, Amazon secured full creative control of the series, with producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman now steering the ship under their respective banners, Pascal Pictures and Heyday Films. Tanya Lapointe is attached as executive producer.
Knight’s involvement adds significant prestige to the project. His decorated career spans both film and television, with writing credits on films like Eastern Promises, Spencer, and his Oscar-nominated debut, Dirty Pretty Things. He also wrote and directed Locke, Hummingbird, and Serenity and was briefly attached to write a Star Wars film starring Daisy Ridley.
On the television side, Knight’s resume includes SAS: Rogue Heroes, This Town, The Veil, See, A Thousand Blows, and the Netflix limited series All the Light We Cannot See. He’s also at work on the upcoming Peaky Blinders feature film and Netflix’s House of Guinness.
Villeneuve was officially announced as the director for Bond 26 last month, and Knight’s hiring comes as Amazon MGM looks to fast-track development with an eye toward a potential 2028 release. Given the scale of the production, insiders say anything sooner would be unlikely.
While plot details are still tightly under wraps, the next step in development is expected to be the casting of a new actor to take over the iconic role of 007. With both Villeneuve and Knight on board, expectations are high for the future of the franchise, and for the next chapter in Bond’s ever-evolving legacy.