The speculation surrounding who will be the next James Bond continues to heat up – but the film’s writer might just have let some information slip.

By now, Steven Knight has probably got used to reporters asking him endless questions about who will be taking over from Daniel Craig as 007.

However, while the Peaky Blinders creator was quizzed about the character’s identity, Knight appeared to reveal that the new Bond has already been picked.

Earlier this week, Gary Oldman threw his support behind fellow Slow Horses co-star Jack Lowden to take over as Bond.

However, when asked during an interview on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme whether a casting decision had been made, Knight laughed before replying: ‘I cannot speak about this subject. Much as I would dearly love to.’

He joked that taking on Ian Fleming’s famous spy franchise for Amazon MGM Studios meant he was ‘doing my duty for King and country’.

But presenter Anna Foster pressed him further, asking: ‘Presumably you know who it is when you’re writing it. Does that make a difference?’

Knight replied: ‘It does make life a little bit easier if you know who that person is, but also you have to write the character, not the actor.’

Foster then tried again, asking whether Knight was told who had been cast before he started writing or halfway through the process.

Knight laughed once more and said: ‘I refer you to my previous answer.’

While Knight has not confirmed the new Bond, his comments have only added fuel to the speculation that 007 has already been cast.

Oldman sparked frenzy after claiming that producers had already made their choice, and suggested Lowden was the front runner.

‘It’s been rumored that he’s on the shortlist,’ Oldman told Canada’s Global.

‘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.’

Lowden, 36, has been widely tipped by fans as a potential successor to Craig, who played Bond for five films before bowing out with 2021’s No Time To Die.

Discussing the responsibility he feels taking over the franchise, Knight added during his interview: ‘The thing with Bond is it’s its own universe, and it’s its own franchise.

‘There are certain rules. I mean, obviously you have to move it along, but I love where it sits.

‘I love that it’s British. I love that it’s not DC or Marvel … So I feel a responsibility to the text.’


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