Steven Knight’s Star Wars film: what will it be about & will Peaky Blinders actors be in it?

Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight is set to pen a new script for Disney.

The Birmingham writer has taken on the screenplay writing duties for the upcoming Star Wars film - as original screenwriters Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson have exited the project, according to Variety. The untitled Star Wars movie will be directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy of Ms. Marvel fame.

It’s an exciting new venture for Birmingham-born Knight, who will now be writing for one of the biggest film franchises in movie history.

What will the film be about?

This upcoming movie is expected to be the first LucasFilm Star Wars film since Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - which was released in 2019. So far, little is known about the project, but more information on the movie, including its title, is expected to be announced at the Star Wars Celebration in London this month (April).

What we do know is the film will also be directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, who has been best known for her work in films that highlight the inequality for women. She also directed the Ms. Marvel series in 2020, which was also for Disney +. The series follows Kamala Khan, a 16-year-old fangirl of the Avengers who struggles to fit in until she gains her own powers.

Knight and Obaid-Chinoy will be taking over from Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson, who worked on a previous draft of the film but have since dropped out.. So, could Knight’s Peaky Blinders collaborator Cillian Murphy feature in the film?

Well, no details have been released just yet about which actors will feature in the film, so we’ll have to wait and see. Knight is also known for his action packed dramas and in intriguing plots, idicating that the film’s producers might be looking for a slightly different version for this Star Wars project than they have had before.

Has Knight said anything about the film?

In a recent interview with the Shropshire Star, Knight said he is excited about being part of the production. He said: “It’s exciting to be asked to be part of a Star Wars film and I know that a big announcement about the film will be made soon. I’ve enjoyed the films that have been made and I am looking forward to being part of it, but I can’t say too much right now about it.”

There are also other Star Wars projects also in the making at the moment. Filmmaker Taika Waititi of What We Do in the Shadows, Thor: Ragnarok, and Jojo Rabbit fame is said to be working on a Star Wars film - in which he could star. Another prospective film is being developed by Shawn Levy - who is currently working on Deadpool 3.

What else has Knight worked on?

Knight wrote the compelling psychological drama Locke, which featured Tom Hardy. He also wrote the screenplays for Dirty Pretty Things and Eastern Promises. Kight also wrote for the British comedy The Detectives, and is he was also also one of three creators of the popular games show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

One of his latest works on screen is the new BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations which premiered on BBC One on March 26 and is also available on BBC iPlayer.