Steven Knight Fuels James Bond Casting Mystery After Refusing to Say If the New 007 Has Been Chosen
The hunt for the next James Bond may already be over. We just aren’t allowed to know who got the job yet.
After Gary Oldman claimed that the new 007 has been chosen, Steven Knight, the writer tasked with bringing Bond back to the big screen, was given several opportunities to shut down that claim and he didn’t.
During an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today show, Knight was asked about the casting situation following Oldman’s comments and his support for Slow Horses star Jack Lowden as the next Bond.
Knight’s response certainly won’t kill the speculation. He said: “I cannot speak about this subject. Much as I would dearly love to.” He then added that he felt like he was “doing my duty for King and country” by taking on James Bond for Amazon MGM Studios.
BBC presenter Anna Foster pushed for a little more, asking whether Knight already knows who will play Bond while he’s writing the movie. She asked: “Presumably you know who it is when you’re writing it. Does that make a difference?”
Knight responded: “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.”
Naturally, Foster went back for another shot, asking: “So they told you at the beginning before you started writing, or do they tell you halfway through?”
Knight laughed: “I refer you to my previous answer.”
He’s keeping his mouth shut, but he also isn’t exactly making it easier to believe that the role remains undecided.
Knight did speak more openly about his approach to Bond and what makes the character different from the other massive franchises dominating Hollywood.
“The thing with Bond is it’s its own universe, and it’s its own franchise. So 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.”
The mystery around the next Bond became a lot more interesting over the weekend when Gary Oldman claimed the producers have already selected the next James Bond.
Oldman also made it clear that he hopes the choice turns out to be his Slow Horses co-star Lowden. “It’s been rumored that he’s on the shortlist.
“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.”
Reports over the summer said James Bond auditions were taking place in August, with producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman, along with director Denis Villeneuve, informing actors who had made the shortlist.
So, has the next James Bond actually been cast? There’s still no official announcement, and Knight certainly isn’t going to be the guy who spoils Amazon MGM’s reveal.
For now, Lowden remains one of the names in the conversation, Oldman seems convinced a decision has been made, and Knight is sticking to Bond-level secrecy.
Hopefully we won’t have to wait much longer to finally meet the next 007.