Positive signals from behind the scenes of Bond 26 are always encouraging, and Steven Knight’s recent comment that he is having a “fantastic time” writing the next installment is especially reassuring. While the surrounding interviews and articles offer little in the way of concrete story details, the enthusiasm itself is noteworthy and what it lacks in facts it makes up for in fun speculation from this Bond fan.

Here are four of my favorite reasons for why Knight is having a “fantastic time”:

1. Putting his own spin on it makes him giddy – while not necessarily a full return to science fiction excess, echoes of Moonraker-era boldness or even the grand, operatic scope of something like Dune are not unthinkable under his pen
2. Resetting the Bond universe in an origin story excites him – if Bond 26 functions as an origin story or foundational reboot, Knight would be entering largely uncharted territory
3. He has a long leash from Amazon – with the franchise entering a new corporate era, it’s conceivable that the studio is allowing more creative flexibility than expected and is being trusted to explore ideas without excessive constraint
4. He just really loves the character – for a British writer of his stature, being entrusted with James Bond is not just another assignment, but a great honor he takes seriously and with great reverence to the character