Steven Knight Says First Draft of New James Bond Script Is Done

The first draft of the script for the next James Bond film is finished, screenwriter Steven Knight has said, giving the clearest signal yet of progress on the 26th entry in the long-running spy franchise.

Asked in a recent interview whether the draft was complete, Knight responded, "I'm nodding silently." The Peaky Blinders creator described the assignment as "more than a bucket list" and said he felt he was "doing my duty for King and country by taking this thing on."

He added that he is enjoying the work. "I'm absolutely loving doing it. It's an honour to be asked. And believe it's going to be so good. I really do believe it's going to be amazing," he said.

The film will be directed by Denis Villeneuve and produced by Amazon MGM Studios. It is positioned as a reboot of the franchise following Daniel Craig's tenure as 007.

Knight has previously indicated he may know who has been cast as the next Bond. Asked whether he wrote the film with a particular actor in mind or purely from his understanding of the character, he replied, "It's a bit of both," explaining that knowing the performer makes the task easier but that the priority is to "write the character, not the actor."

His comments follow remarks by Gary Oldman, who said the casting decision has already been made but not yet announced. Oldman expressed hope that his Slow Horses co-star Jack Lowden, described as being among the favourites, would win the part. "We're going to find out pretty soon, aren't we? Because they have picked him. They have made their choice, but they have not announced it yet. So my fingers are crossed for Jack," Oldman said.

The identity of the next Bond has not been officially revealed. Knight's confirmation that the first draft is complete nonetheless marks a significant step forward for the production.