Steven Knight built one of the most successful writing careers in television and film, but his first major industry breakthrough came from an unlikely source: a game show. Knight, now the writer behind the next James Bond film, was one of the creators of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" in the late 1990s, according to Variety.
The quiz show became a global smash hit, launching in the U.K. in 1998 and spreading to dozens of countries. It made Knight a known quantity in television before he ever wrote a screenplay.
From there, Knight moved into film with 2002's "Dirty Pretty Things," a drama about undocumented immigrants in London that earned an Academy Award nomination for original screenplay. The film marked his arrival as a serious dramatic writer.
He has since become one of the most prolific creators working today. His credits include "Peaky Blinders," the BBC gangster drama that ran for six seasons and built a massive international following, along with "SAS: Rogue Heroes," "House of Guinness" and "A Thousand Blows."
His highest-profile assignment is the next James Bond film. Knight is writing the script, though production has not yet started. The project represents one of the most scrutinized jobs in the industry, given the franchise's 60-year history and the ongoing question of who will play Bond next.
The path from game show creator to Bond screenwriter is unusual. Most Bond writers come up through thriller or action film work. Knight's background spans quiz shows, immigrant dramas and period gangster epics, a range that sets him apart from typical franchise hires.
Knight's career illustrates how television and film writing can overlap in unexpected ways. A format created for a quiz show in the 1990s led to a body of work that now includes one of the most valuable film properties in the world.
No release date or casting has been announced for the next Bond film. Knight continues to develop multiple projects across television and film.
