'007' Screenwriter on Gary Oldman's New James Bond Opinions

After Gary Oldman remarked that the new James Bond actor had already been chosen—pointing to his Slow Horses co-star Jack Lowden—it was the screenwriter of the upcoming 007 film's turn to weigh in on the situation.

In an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today program, Steven Knight was asked if a decision had indeed been made. The screenwriter, however, deflected: “I can’t talk about that subject. As much as I’d love to,” he said with a laugh, before stating that he felt he was “doing my duty to King and country” by taking on Ian Fleming’s spy franchise for Amazon MGM Studios.

Host Anna Foster then pressed the issue, asking if knowing who would play Bond made a difference when writing the character. “Knowing the person behind the character makes life a bit easier, but you have to write the character, not the actor,” replied Knight, who is also the creator of Peaky Blinders.

Foster tried once more to find out if Knight had been informed of the choice before he started writing or during the process. The screenwriter simply laughed and replied: “I refer you to my previous answer.”

Knight also commented on the responsibility of working with such a storied franchise. “The thing about Bond is that it’s a universe unto itself, a franchise unto itself. So, there are certain rules,” he stated. He added that he likes the fact that the franchise is British and doesn't belong to universes like DC or Marvel, while also highlighting the responsibility toward Fleming’s original material.

Everything you need to know about the future of 007

With over 20 films released since the 1960s, 007 is one of the longest-running franchises in cinema history. From the very beginning, the Broccoli family has stewarded the character and his films—first with Cubby Broccoli, founder of Eon, and later with his children, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. In 2025, however, the Broccolis decided to sell creative control of the character to Amazon MGM Studios for a reported $1 billion. Within Amazon, Amy Pascal—producer for the Spider-Man films—and David Heyman—who produced the Harry Potter adaptations—were selected to produce and manage the franchise.

It is not yet known when the new James Bond film will be released, let alone who will take on the role of Agent 007. However, Denis Villeneuve (Sicario, Dune) will direct, and Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders) is handling the screenplay.