Steven Knight Hints Amazon MGM Has Chosen the Next James Bond
The new 007 writer would not confirm the actor, but his BBC interview and Gary Oldman’s comments point to a decision already made. Jack Lowden remains the loudest name in the room, without an official announcement.
Steven Knight, the writer of Amazon MGM’s next James Bond film, has suggested that the studio has already chosen Daniel Craig’s successor. Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today on September 8, Knight refused to name the actor, then said writing is easier when he knows “who that person is.”
That is not a casting announcement. It is, however, the clearest sign yet that the five-year wait for a new 007 may be nearing its public end. Gary Oldman had already said producers “made their choice,” and his Slow Horses co-star Jack Lowden is the bookmakers’ favorite. Amazon MGM has not confirmed Lowden, or anyone else.
Steven Knight Says the Actor Can Shape the Work—But Not the Character
Knight was asked whether Lowden would suit the role. He declined to comment, just as he had when pressed about Oldman’s remarks. Then came the useful part: “It does make life a bit easier if you know who that person is, but also you have to write the character, not the actor.”
That distinction matters. Bond is a role with a long memory and a very specific silhouette, but each performer has had to find the man inside it. Knight says he is writing the character first, even if a known actor’s voice, timing or physical presence is now somewhere in the back of his mind.
Knight, the creator of Peaky Blinders, also described the assignment as a duty to “king and country.” He said Bond has its own universe, its own rules and a British identity he wants to protect. He likes that the series is not part of the DC or Marvel machinery. The remark sounds less like a writer waiting for instructions than one already working with a destination in view.
Photo: Harald Krichel · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Gary Oldman Put Jack Lowden at the Center of the Rumor
Oldman’s comments came in an interview with Canada’s The Morning Show, as reported by Yahoo and Shortlist. He said Lowden was rumored to be on the shortlist, then added: “Because they have picked him. They have made their choice, but they have not announced it yet.” He finished by saying his fingers were crossed for Lowden.
