‘Peaky Blinders’ Writer Steven Knight Taking Over for Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson’s ‘Star Wars’ Script
Steven Knight has taken up the sword of Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson on the new Star Wars movie, expected to release on December 19, 2025.
Recently, it was learned that there was some trouble in paradise with Lucasfilm. The project ran into a snag, with word indicating that Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson exited the film directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy after submitting a first draft in the middle of February, with indications from Lindelof suggesting that he chose to leave the project on his own terms as opposed to being fired. Obaid-Chinoy was reported as remaining on the project, while it was indicated that a new writer — unidentified at the time — would be working to build upon the first draft.
According to Variety, that unidentified writer turned out to be Steven Knight, the creator and chief writer of BBC sensation Peaky Blinders. Knight’s body of work includes critically-acclaimed crime dramas like Dirty Pretty Things and Eastern Promises, along with more character-focused films like Pawn Sacrifice and Spencer. In terms of franchise work, Knight’s résumé is relatively light. He recently wrote an outline for a new Superman movie, though it was ultimately passed on in favor of writer-director James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy, which will relaunch the DC Universe franchise on film, television, video games, and animation.
As it stands, it is believed that the Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Steven Knight’s Star Wars project will be the most likely project of those in development at Lucasfilm to hit the 2025 release date, although another project may take the slot as Lucasfilm charts a course for the future of their signature brand on the big screen. An official announcement of this film, possibly alongside others, are expected next month at Star Wars Celebration Europe, with speculation indicating that a title, brief synopsis, the writer and director will be formally revealed by Lucasfilm at some point during the fan convention.
The next Star Wars movies are scheduled for December 19, 2025, and December 17, 2027, although there are rumors that there may be a 2026 movie in development as well.
Grant has been a fan of Star Wars for as long as he can remember, having seen every movie on the big screen. When he’s not hard at work with his college studies, he keeps himself busy by reporting on all kinds of Star Wars news for SWNN and general movie news on the sister site, Movie News Net. He served as a frequent commentator on SWNN’s The Resistance Broadcast.
