Upcoming “James Bond” Movie Directed by Denis Villeneuve Finds Its Writer

The next James Bond film has found its writer. Variety reports that Steven Knight, the man behind Peaky Blinders, will pen the script for the upcoming 007 adventure. The movie will be directed by Dune filmmaker Denis Villeneuve and produced by Amy Pascal and David Heyman for Amazon MGM Studios.

Knight is best known for creating the hit Birmingham gangster drama, but he’s also written films like Dirty Pretty Things, Eastern Promises, and Locke. His latest produced screenplay was Maria, the biopic about opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie and directed by Pablo Larraín.

This will be the first Bond movie made under Amazon MGM’s full creative control after the company struck a deal with long-time Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. A release date hasn’t been confirmed yet, but the film isn’t expected until 2028.

The big question still hanging over the project is who will play 007. Taron Egerton has already ruled himself out, saying: “I think I’m too messy for that. I think I’m not [the right fit] – I really love James Bond and particularly Daniel Craig’s tenure. But I think I wouldn’t be good at it, and I think there’s so many cool, younger actors who would be great for it. I think it would be wasted on me, probably.”

Rumors have put Bullet Train star Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the frontrunner, with other names like Tom Holland, Harris Dickinson, and Jacob Elordi also in the mix.

Villeneuve has made it clear how much the job means to him. “Some of my earliest moviegoing memories are connected to 007. I grew up watching James Bond films with my father, ever since Dr. No with Sean Connery. I’m a die-hard Bond fan. To me, he’s sacred territory. I intend to honour the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come. This is a massive responsibility, but also, incredibly exciting for me and a huge honour,” he said when he was announced as director.

Pascal and Heyman added: “Denis Villeneuve has been in love with James Bond movies since he was a little boy. It was always his dream to make this movie, and now it’s ours, too. We are lucky to be in the hands of this extraordinary filmmaker.”

With Knight on board as writer and Villeneuve in the director’s chair, the next Bond film is shaping up to be one of the most talked-about entries in the franchise.

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