MANILA, Philippines – Steven Knight, renowned for his work on the acclaimed series "Peaky Blinders," has been officially appointed as the screenwriter for the next James Bond film, to be helmed by director Denis Villeneuve.

Amazon MGM Studios, which secured creative control of the Bond franchise earlier this year, confirmed Villeneuve's involvement last month before announcing Knight's role. Previously revealed producers include Oscar nominees Amy Pascal and David Heyman, with Tanya Lapointe, Villeneuve's wife, serving as an executive producer.

Knight spoke about his appointment during an interview on BBC Radio 5, expressing his long-standing admiration for the Bond series. He stated, "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… 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."

This upcoming installment will mark a significant shift in the franchise's writing team, as it will be the first Bond film in over two decades without Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, who have penned every Bond screenplay since 1999's "The World is Not Enough."

Knight is celebrated for creating the British period crime drama "Peaky Blinders," which ran for six seasons and is poised to conclude with an upcoming feature film on Netflix. His broad creative portfolio also includes co-creating the game show "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" and contributing to series such as "All the Light We Cannot See," "SAS: Rogue Heroes," "Taboo," and "A Thousand Blows."

His film credits include writing for titles like "Dirty Pretty Things," "Eastern Promises," "Spencer," "Maria," "Locke," and "Seventh Son."

The franchise continues to search for a new actor to assume the role of James Bond, following Daniel Craig's departure after "No Time to Die" in 2021. Speculated candidates for the iconic role include Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Tom Hardy, Henry Cavill, Richard Madden, Tom Hiddleston, Rege-Jean Page, Idris Elba, Jamie Dornan, Theo James, Josh O’Connor, Paul Mescal, and Callum Turner.

When asked about the casting of the next Bond, Knight acknowledged the question as "a very, very good question," though he did not disclose any details, stating it was "one I can't give you the answer to."