Bond Writer Steven Knight Advocates for Celebrating Creative Nationalism in New Script

Steven Knight, the man behind such British TV institutions Peaky Blinders and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire has declared his James Bond will celebrate ‘creative nationalism’.

The British screenwriter, 65, is perhaps best known as the creator of BBC crime drama Peaky Blinders starring Cillian Murphy, which has spawned a 2026 movie, whilst his new historical saga House Of Guinness will hit Netflix later this month.

And amongst his small screen successes he is lending his talents to the long-running spy franchise by penning the script for the newest 007 film.

Born and still living in Birmingham, Knight has recently seen his home city become synonymous with the flag movement which has spread across the country this summer. And whilst he insists we shouldn’t ‘glorify division’ he is very much in favour of celebrating ‘Britishness’, including 007.

‘Creative nationalism is something I would absolutely be completely in favour of,’ Knight has explained. ‘We can’t allow ourselves to start pretending that we’re like other people. We’re not. We have to be ourselves.’

‘That’s what we should be raising flags about: the Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Crown, our fantastic actors,’ and ‘of course’ Bond,’ he told The Sunday Times after previously teasing that his incarnation of the spy will be ‘different, and better, stronger and bolder.’

Steven Knight, the man behind such varied TV hits as Peaky Blinders and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire has declared his James Bond will celebrate ‘creative nationalism’ 

‘We should be raising flags for the Beatles , Rolling Stones , The Crown , our fantastic actors,’ and ‘of course’ Bond,’ says Knight after previously teasing that his incarnation of the spy will be ‘different, and better, stronger and bolder’ (Daniel Craig pictured as Bond in Casino Royale)

The latest Bond film is currently in development and is to be directed by Dune’s Denis Villeneuve, with Amazon MGM Studios overseeing the project after longtime producer Barbara Broccoli gave up creative control. 

Meanwhile, Amy Pascal and David Heyman are on board to produce the movie via Pascal Pictures and Heyday Films respectively, while Tanya Lapointe will serve as executive producer. 

Writing a new 007 is, Knight says, ‘exciting and thrilling’ but he has a free flow approach to his screenplay, admitting: ‘I have no plan of how I’m going to get there.’

Though I do know this character’s going to do this, this, and then they’re going to die, or they’re going to become king. So that’s the plan.’

Speaking about his involvement in the film last month, Steven told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast: ‘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.

‘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.’

However, Steven has so far failed to give any inclination about who will replace Daniel Craig in the titular role.

The British screenwriter, 65, is perhaps best known as the creator of the hugely popular BBC crime drama Peaky Blinders starring Cillian Murphy [pictured]

Writing a new 007 is, Knight says, ‘exciting and thrilling’ but he has a free flow approach to his screenplay, admitting: ‘I have no plan of how I’m going to get there’ 

The actor, 57, stepped down from the iconic spy role after 2021’s No Time To Die, having starred in five of the films over a 15 year period. 

A number of actors have been tipped to step into his shoes, with stars including Taron Egerton, Aaron Taylor Johnson, Paul Mescal and Theo James thrown into the mix.

When pressed on who could be the new Bond, he responded: ‘That is a very, very good question, and one I can’t give you the answer to’.

The last outing for James Bond was 2021’s No Time to Die, with Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and Cary Joji Fukunaga on the writing team.

Speaking of the selection process for the latest film, Steven shared: ‘I was invited to a meeting with [producer] Amy Pascal, didn’t know what it was about, and very quickly discovered what it was about and became very, very excited and hopeful.

‘And then a process is followed where you do some meetings, you discuss some ideas, and then you find out you’ve got it.

‘So I found out a while ago but it was announced last night, which is great.’

He added that it was a ‘high pressure’ job, before noting: ‘you’ve just got to do what you do, do it as well as you can’.