Steven Knight admitted he believed “Game of Thrones” was a children’s show until he cast one of its actors for his series.
Steven Knight, best known for creating “Peaky Blinders” starring Cillian Murphy, shared this during a talk with BBC journalist Katie Razzall at the Royal Television Society conference in London.
Knight remembered how his young son loved “Game of Thrones“ and asked for the DVD set as a Christmas gift. Since the show had dragons, Knight gladly bought it for him. Later, when he cast Aidan Gillen from “Game of Thrones” in “Peaky Blinders,” he realized the series had much more mature content than he thought.
When someone recommended Aidan Gillen for “Peaky Blinders,” they mentioned he played a brothel owner in “Game of Thrones.” Surprised, Knight replied,
“What do you mean? Isn’t it a kids’ show?”
Aidan Gillen played Lord Petyr Baelish in “Game of Thrones” before taking on the role of Aberama Gold in “Peaky Blinders.” He’s also been in “The Dark Knight Rises,” “Mayor of Kingstown,” and the “Maze Runner” series.
During the conference, Knight shared some memories from “Peaky Blinders.” He explained that he first thought of the idea for the show in the 1980s and even pitched it to a U.K. broadcaster, but it didn’t work out.
“I started writing it as a novel, then I shared a treatment with Channel 4. I’m glad it didn’t happen back then. The technology wasn’t advanced enough to create a proper period drama.”
He said
Years later, someone asked Knight if he had any ideas for TV, and he found the old “Peaky Blinders” idea in a drawer, forgotten for a long time. Now, he’s working on a movie version for Netflix, starring Barry Keoghan, Rebecca Ferguson, and Cillian Murphy. While he didn’t share any spoilers, he mentioned,
“It’s set during World War II, and it should be really good.”
Knight has had a diverse career, from co-creating the quiz show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” to working on a future “Star Wars” movie, which Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy will direct. He often collaborates with Pablo Larraín, writing the Princess Diana biopic “Spencer” with Kristen Stewart, and the recent film “Maria” starring Angelina Jolie, which premiered in Venice.
See More: Rebecca Ferguson Joins Cillian Murphy In ‘Peaky Blinders’ Movie At Netflix
Knight, who writes, directs, and produces, is very passionate about the U.K.’s screen industry. He even started a film and TV studio in his hometown of Birmingham, where “Peaky Blinders” is set.
“People mostly see our country through our industry,” he said, stressing the need for investment in the U.K.’s arts and screen industries. “We need to ensure people here know this is a real career option.”
Other speakers at this year’s Royal Television Society conference, hosted by Netflix, include streaming head Ted Sarandos, footballer David Beckham, and culture secretary Lisa Nandy.
Source: Variety