‘Star Wars’: Steven Knight Says Working On The Franchise Is “Like Stepping Into A Hurricane” & Praises Kathleen Kennedy [Exclusive]

Filmmaker Steven Knight shows no signs of slowing down. The creator of the hailed crime series, “Peaky Blinders,” Knight is both an in-demand writer and director and often both (see “Locke” and “Serenity”). Fresh off the “Peaky Blinders” movie, which finished filming earlier this year (which may be called “The Immortal Man”), Knight’s latest creation is the genre hybrid series, “A Thousand Blows.”

Part boxing drama and part crime series, the show recently premiered on Hulu and stars Malachi Kirby, Stephen Graham, and Erin Doherty. That full interview is coming soon from The Playlist’s TV podcast Bingeworthy and during that interview to promote his new British period series, Knight spoke about his work writing on the “Star Wars” film that was intended for director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (“Ms. Marvel”).

Lucasfilm had assigned Knight to help rewrite Obaid-Chinoy’s “Star Wars: New Jedi Order” (which would see the return of Daisy Ridley as Rey Skywalker, though that title is just a working one) before the busy creator moved on (likely due to complete his “Peaky Blinders” film). Earlier this year, fellow veteran screenwriter George Nolfi (“Ocean’s Twelve,” “The Bourne Ultimatum”) was brought on to continue those tweaks.

READ MORE: Kathleen Kennedy Denies Lucasfilm Retirement Rumors But Admits To Succession Plans In The Works

Here is what Knight had to say about his experience working on the “Star Wars” project and Lucasfilm studio head Kathleen Kennedy:

While some fans bemoaned the loss of Knight on the “Star Wars” film, complaining that it was yet another change in direction or even speculating that Kennedy didn’t like his changes and he was dropped from the project, the screenwriter said he loved working on the movie and praised the Lucasfilm chief.

“I mean, it was such a great experience. And I’m not just saying this. They were great people,” he said. “Kathleen Kennedy is a pleasure to work with. [Lucasfilm are] smart people who know their craft. And for me, it’s like a particular discipline in the world of writing and film. It’s this world, and you enter the world, and you do your bit, and you do your take.”

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Knight also said he understood that he would be writing on the film for a few months, would move on to his next gigs, and that development would continue.

“And I always knew the process then moves on,” he continued. “So, I don’t know what of the [writing] that I’ve submitted is going to end up in whatever the next incarnation of that [movie] is. It’s just great to be there and to be part of that.”

Knight did acknowledge the fan pressure around “Star Wars” but said he used it in his favor rather than have it work against him.

Working on the script, he said, was “to feel [what] it’s like stepping into a hurricane, in a way, because of the fans, because of what they want and what they feel,” he explained. “So you’re in this world, and you’re doing your bit in this world.”

“[But I loved it. You either get blown away, or you use it,” he continued. “And I really wanted to use that energy to do what I do, to contribute what I want to contribute.”

Doing your bit on “Star Wars” is something Knight described as something of a privilege and a tradition to cherish and not something to have a big possessive ego about.

“There’s all these people have contributed over the years and it is absolutely a cultural tradition now,” Knight remarked. “And you enter it with reverence and do what you can and then hope that you’ve done stuff that’s going to end up on that huge screen.”

Asked if some of the material he wrote will make it into the movie, Knight said, “I’m sure they will [include some of it].”

When the mooted “Star Wars: New Jedi Order” will go into production is unclear, but in the meantime, Jon Favreau’s “The Mandalorian & Grogu” is set for release on May 22, 2026, and “Andor” season two will his Disney+ in April.

That entire podcast conversation with Knight on the Bingeworthy podcast will be available in full later this week. — Additional reporting by Mike DeAngelo.