I have to be honest, I’m so excited to see The Sheep Detectives when it premieres on the 2026 movie schedule. The idea of a bunch of sheep solving a murder sounds utterly delightful, and the incredible A-List ensemble cast, which includes Hugh Jackman and Emma Thompson, makes it even better. Now, Project Hail Mary’s co-director Chris Miller has shared his stamp of approval for the film, and it’s doing more for it than its great Rotten Tomatoes numbers.

Again, the trailer for The Sheep Detectives sold me on this movie. However, the very positive reactions for this film directed by Kyle Balda have been making me even more excited about its May 8 release. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 96% rating based on 27 reviews, which is incredibly good, and Variety’s review called the film a “wholesomely offbeat family comedy.” It’s the reactions to those reviews that are making me even more hyped, though, especially since one of them came from beloved director, writer and producer Chris Miller, as he wrote on X:

I’m sorry, but Babe meets Knives Out is a pitch I never, ever thought I’d read. Like, mixing a staple childhood movie from the ‘90s that features talking animals with one of the best whodunnits of our time? I didn’t know that was possible. However, I’m here for it, and you better believe it’s motivating me to go see The Sheep Detectives the second it comes out in theaters.

In hindsight, this comment makes sense too. In The Sheep Detectives, a group of sheep set out to solve the murder of their shepherd, George (Hugh Jackman). So, it has the talking animals and heart of a movie like Babe, and the utterly creative mystery we’ve come to associate with Rian Johnson’s Knives Out movies.

Along with this comparison sparking interest, the fact that Miller was the one who made it also helps sell The Sheep Detectives.

For context, Chris Miller and Phil Lord are executive producers on The Sheep Detectives. This marks their second release this year, right on the heels of the critically acclaimed Project Hail Mary, which has been a massive box office hit in 2026. They also helped bring Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse into the world, and they directed beloved films like 21 Jump Street and The Lego Movie. In short, their creativity and ability to take big swings are a massive reason why people love them and their work, and it seems like The Sheep Detectives does just that, too.

Now, if you needed any more convincing about why you should see this movie, it was written by Craig Mazin (The Last of Us) and Leonie Swann. And Bryan Cranston, Brett Goldstein, Patrick Stewart, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Chris O’Dowd and more provide voices for the sheep, while Jackman, Emma Thompson, Molly Gordon, Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine and more make up the human cast.

So, in conclusion, what could go wrong with a movie that has been described as Babe meets Knives Out? According to Chris Miller and the reviews, it seems the answer is not much. In fact, according to the numbers, reviews and the director of Project Hail Mary, it seems like The Sheep Detectives is very well worth your time and attention when it hits theaters on May 8.

This has been a big week for the Star Wars franchise, to say the least. Days ago, Kathleen Kennedy announced she would step down as president of Lucasfilm and hand the reins over to Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan. As a new chapter for the production company begins, Kennedy is speaking about her experiences. With that, she made some comments about Rian Johnson’s stint working within the galaxy far, far away, and he's has since responded.

Kathleen Kennedy Makes Claims About Why Rian Johnson Only Made One Star Wars Movie

Let’s start with Kennedy’s comments. The producer, who became president of Lucasfilm since 2012 after George Lucas sold the company to Walt Disney Studios, recently reflected on her time in the position. She discussed the highs and lows of the job while speaking with Deadline. When specifically asked about the films Rian Johnson was reportedly set to helm following 2017's The Last Jedi, Kennedy said the following:

Kennedy responded by suggesting that one reason Johnson didn't return to helm his other films was due to him being "spooked" by the negative reactions that The Last Jedi received by people online. Upon its release, the film (which made $1.3 million at the worldwide box office, as noted by Deadline) received positive reviews from critics, though there were fans who were dissatisfied with it for a myriad of reasons. Even today, there are those who continue to express their grievances.

That's not the only reason Kennedy attributes to Johnson not directing further SW films either. She also points out that another factor was the writer/director's desire to focus his energy towards the Knives Out movies starting in 2018.

How Rian Johnson Responded To Kennedy’s Comments

Rian Johnson eventually caught wind of Kathleen Kennedy’s comments. With that, he took to X, where he reposted an article covering Kennedy's quotes and shared his take. In his words (which have had punctuation added to them):

Well, there you have it, two conflicting sets thoughts here on why there’s only Rian Johnson-helmed Star Wars movie thus far. Although Johnson's response is brief, it seems he doesn't agree with the notion that it was negative fan energy that turned him away from the massive IP. The question still remains, though: would Johnson direct another one of those films?

In the summer of 2025, Johnson was asked about whether he’d return to Star Wars. He admitted that he’d kicked around ideas with Kathleen Kennedy after The Last Jedi but that he'd ultimately been “busy making murder mysteries” since his 2017 sci-fi film. Still, Johnson also shared that he “would be thrilled” to do something else Star Wars “down the line” should the opportunity present itself, but he’s currently rather happy doing his “own stuff.”

Fear not, though, fans, as there are upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows are on the way. The Mandalorian & Grogu will mark the franchise's first big-screen release since 2019’s Rise Of Skywalker. Also, the Ryan Gosling-led film Star Wars: Starfighter is set to be released in the summer of 2027. It goes without saying that this is a busy time for Lucasfilm and, with projects in the works and a new leadership team in place, only time will tell if Rian Johnson ends up returning to the fold!

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is the latest from Rian Johnson, and one of many 2025 Netflix movies readers should make time for. The feature came out not long after the sequel to the original movie, Glass Onion, which I admittedly thought was odd, but it all makes a lot more sense after hearing why the director made that decision.

Except for a handful of episodes of the now-canceled Peacock series Poker Face, Johnson has been exclusively working on the Knives Out franchise since 2019. This has led to three movies in a much shorter time than most franchises, though the director told EW he had a good reason for rushing to do the third after the first sequel:

I can understand that, especially after hearing some people say the Thailand location for Season 3 of The White Lotus wasn't quite as posh as previous resorts. Fortunately, the favorable reviews on Wake Up Dead Man, both from CinemaBlend and critics at large, prove that bigger doesn't always mean better.

Instead of a movie centered on a billionaire and their grand estate, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery centers on two priests, a congregation, and the Catholic faith. Rian Johnson talked about what drew him to that idea specifically, and how it connected to his own life:

As for other changes Wake Up Dead Man made, we've noted that the movie waits a while before introducing Benoit Blanc into the story. In doing so, it basically makes Josh O'Connor's Father Jud the main character for most of the story and allows the adventure itself to breathe.

I've heard some fans complain that the movie was a little less campy than usual and that the killer reveal was a little too obvious. Personally, I didn't see that as a problem and would say this was by far the best movie he's done. The bar may not have been raised in terms of spectacle, but I would say I'll have higher expectations for the fourth movie.

As for how this could influence Rian Johnson and the next idea he has for the Knives Out franchise, that's up in the air. The director said he only had a vague idea for what to do with the fourth movie for now, noting that he doesn't like to get too specific with the story until he actually prepares to write it. So it can better reflect more current times.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is available to stream with a Netflix subscription right now. Those who haven't had a chance to watch yet should do so immediately and get ready for a new year packed with more quality movies from the streamer.

Rian Johnson's Knives Out franchise has been wildly successful so far, and the threequel Wake Up Dead Man recently arrived on streaming for those with a Netflix subscription. CinemaBlend's Wake Up Dead Man review praised it as the strongest in the series, including its many twists and turns. The filmmaker recently explained how he decides who the killer is, and also offers some criticism of Agatha Christie's books.

While not a book to screen adaptation, Agatha Christie's influence is definitely felt throughout all three Knives Out movies. During an interview with EW, he was asked how early into the writing process each movie's killer is decided upon. The Looper director responded with:

How interesting is that? While the Knives Out movies keep fans on their toes thanks to the whodunnit mystery, even hearing the filmmaker's process is fascinating. Although Johnson can't write the Knives Out movies in advance, there does seem to be a specific way each new movie is crafted... including deciding which character is the killer.

Rather than simply trying to create an interesting puzzle for moviegoers, Johnson seems determined that the killer of each movie is character-driven. As he went on:

The director/wrier is no stranger to twists, as well as anticipating audience reaction. This is why The Last Jedi was such a subversive masterpiece; he has an understanding of what folks expect. But rather than making a twist just for the sake of it, he's ensuring the killer in each Knives Out movie makes narrative sense.

In the same interview, Rian Johnson actually took aim at the legendary Agatha Christie. He recalled how easy it can be to predict the bad guy in those legendary whodunnit novels, as he put it:

Clearly Rian Johnson is a fan of the genre, both on the page and the screen. That's why he's been able to predict the killers of Christie's books; they're consistent in the way they're surprising. He's trying to avoid that trap in the Knives Out films, including Wake Up Dead Man.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is streaming now on Netflix as part of the 2025 movie release list. We'll just have to wait and see what Johnson has up his sleeve if/when a fourth movie is produced.

This coming weekend is going to be a big one in theaters. The third Avatar film is set to arrive, and considering how popular both the previous films we can expect theaters will be flooded with viewers, many of them wearing 3D glasses for the first time in years.

However, for me, the release of a highly anticipated third movie in a series happened this past weekend, and on a much smaller screen. I finally got to sit down and watch Wake Up Dead Man, Rian Johnson's third Benoit Blanc mystery, though not in the way I had originally planned. However, I did find at least one way that watching a Knives Out movie was actually better at home than in theaters.

I’m A Big Proponent Of The Theatrical Experience

The first Knives Out movie was a monster hit when it was released in theaters, which made it feel a little strange when Netflix snagged the rights to distribute the two planned sequels. However, both Glass Onion and the brand new Wake Up Dead Man did get (limited) theatrical releases.

As somebody who is still a big fan of the theatrical experience, I made a point to go see Glass Onion in theaters when it came out a few years ago. I wanted to have that same experience that I remembered so well from watching Knives Out, and it was great.

I had fully intended to do the same thing with Wake Up Dead Man. Unfortunately, sometimes life gets in the way, and I simply wasn’t able to find the time to go see the new movie before it arrived on Netflix this past Friday. While I still could see Wake Up Dead Man in theaters as of this writing, it didn’t really make sense when I could watch it at home, so I used my Netflix subscription and sat down to enjoy it.

Watching Wake Up Dead Man On Netflix Allowed Me To Engage With It In A Different Way

When sitting down to watch Wake Up Dead Man, my main concern was about my movie being interrupted. My kids were asleep down the hall, and they don't always like going to bed. Potential distractions from a movie I really want to see are a main reason I frequently won't start watching a movie at home.

Luckily, they weren’t a problem, but I still stopped the movie a couple of times very intentionally. I needed to pause it because my wife and I were clearly having thoughts about the mystery at the center of Wake Up Dead Man and wanted to talk them out.

I thought maybe the story was going to go one way, only to have that theory specifically brought up in the film, only to be disproven. My wife thought she knew “whodunit” and was pretty close, though with some significant missing details.

I didn’t stop the movie much, and those few instances were only for a minute or so each time, but it was absolutely fun to have these conversations in a way I absolutely wouldn’t have had I been sitting next to my wife in a theater. It enhanced this particular viewing experience.

To be clear, I have not become a convert to the Church of Netflix, which seems to believe that nobody actually wants to go to theaters anymore. I think theaters are great, and I still would have liked to have seen this movie there, but I was afraid that by not watching Wake Up Dead Man in a theater, I would have a lesser experience. I don't think it was better or worse. It was valuable in a different way.

Director Rian Johnson's work has spanned a number of genres, including his subversive Star Wars movie The Last Jedi and TV procedural Poker Face (which is streaming with a Peacock subscription). But in recent years he's perhaps most synonymous with the Knives Out franchise. His third installment Wake Up Dead Man recently arrived on streaming for those with a Netflix subscription, and has a distinct tone and visual language from its predecessors. And cinematographer Steve Yedlin spoke to CinemaBlend about how he accomplished those recurring church door shots throughout the movie.

Yedlin has worked with Rian Johnson for years, going back to their high school days. He's usually the cinematographer for Johnson's films, including all three of the Knives Out movies. I had the privilege of speaking with him ahead of Wake Up Dead Man's release, where I asked about a shot thats repeated throughout its runtime. Namely the Church's lack of a crucifix, followed by opening doors and the silhouette of various characters. He cued me into the creative process, saying:

This shot was clearly important for Knives Out 3, given how many times we return to it throughout the film's 144-minute runtime. It's visually striking, especially with the shadows around where a crucifix should be hanging in Jefferson Wicks' church. And the fact that Josh Brolin's shadow is looming really hints at what's happening with this church and its loyal congregants.

CinemaBlend's Wake Up Dead Man review praised it as the best Knives Out movie so far, and a big reason why it's so successful is thanks to its unique tone and gothic imagery. The shot of the church doors and the crucifix shadow debuts early in its runtime, and is used time and time again to great success. Later in our same interview, Steve Yedlin went on to speak about the variations of that powerful image, telling me:

The Church itself is basically a character in Wake Up Dead Man, and it's fascinating to see the way light is used throughout the film. Throughout scenes in that location light comes in and out with the weathers, and often highlights what's happening narratively. That's also the case with the recurring shot of the door opening, and a shadow being cast over the wall where a crucifix should be.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is streaming now on Netflix as part of the 2025 movie release list. We'll have to wait and see how long it takes for the filmmaker to produce fourth installment; Rian Johnson doesn't write these movies in advance.

Major spoilers for Wake Up Dead Man are ahead! Read with caution, and watch the latest Knives Out mystery with a Netflix subscription.

I get it, connecting the Knives Out movies to the Marvel Cinematic Universe's movies feels random and potentially illogical. However, now that we’re three mysteries deep with Benoit Blanc thanks to the release of Wake Up Dead Man on the 2025 movie schedule, a pattern has been created that makes this connection undeniable. So, without further ado, let's talk about the fan theory involving Rian Johnson’s beloved whodunnits and how the MCU plays into their outcomes.

Why Is There A Fan Theory That Mixes Knives Out With Marvel?

Alright, this all starts with the Knives Out cast, including Chris Evans. When that movie came out in 2019, he was the only actor in the ensemble connected to the MCU, and his character, Ransom, killed Christopher Plummer’s Harlan.

Now, cut to 2022. Glass Onion was released, and it featured notable Marvel movie stars Edward Norton, who was in The Incredible Hulk before Mark Ruffalo took over as Bruce Banner, and Dave Bautista, AKA Drax from Guardians of the Galaxy. Notably, the cast also included Kathryn Hahn, who was in WandaVision and Agatha All Along, and Jessica Henwick, who appeared in The Defenders, Luke Cage and Iron Fist. However, those are shows, and this pattern only pertains to actors who starred in MCU movies.

In Glass Onion, Edward Norton’s Miles ended up killing both Bautista’s Duke Cody and Janelle Monáe’s Andi.

So, this all created the theory – which An0nym355 summarized on Reddit – that if a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie actor is in a Knives Out mystery, they will be either the killer or a victim and never an innocent survivor or bystander. An important distinction to make here is that not every victim is an MCU star. Rather, every time a MCU performer has been in one of Rian Johnson’s films, they have either done the killing or been killed. Now, with the release of Wake Up Dead Man, there’s even more merit to this connection.

How Wake Up Dead Man Perfectly Plays Into This Theory

When Josh Brolin and Jeremy Renner were cast in Wake Up Dead Man, I was immediately thinking about this theory. However, I didn’t realize at the time that Glenn Close and Thomas Haden Church were also MCU movie alums.

That’s right, along with Brolin playing the big bad Thanos and Renner portraying Hawkeye for years, Glenn Close played Nova Prime in Guardians of the Galaxy, and Thomas Haden Church was Sandman in both Spider-Man 3 and the MCU’s Spider-Man: No Way Home.

I will note that they aren't the only actors in Wake Up Dead Man with Marvel connections; however, they are the only four MCU movie stars. Kerry Washington was in 2005’s Fantastic Four and 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of Silver Surfer. Also, Jeffrey Wright voices a character in the series What If…? Neither of their characters was involved in the crimes of Wake Up Dead Man. However, neither of them is an MCU movie actor, either. Washington’s Marvel movies aren’t technically in the MCU – even though Chris Evans’ Human Torch does appear in Deadpool and Wolverine. Meanwhile, Wright has only ever appeared in Marvel TV shows.

With all that being said, I thought this third Knives Out mystery would deviate from the potential pattern due to all these muddy Marvel waters. However, it did not at all; in fact, it made the theory even stronger.

In the whodunnit, the four actors with ties to MCU movies were involved in the crime. Both Josh Brolin’s Monsignor Wicks and Thomas Haden Chruch’s Samson Holt died. And the people responsible for those deaths wound up being Glenn Close’s Martha Delacroix and Jeremy Renner’s Dr. Nat Sharp.

So, in the most brilliant of ways, the well-reviewed Wake Up Dead Man played right into this fan-favorite Marvel theory while also making it more complicated and twisty. Therefore, if we ever get another Knives Out mystery, make sure you pay close attention to the cast and their connections to the MCU.

Spoilers for Wake Up Dead Man are ahead! Proceed with caution if you want to keep the mystery a mystery, and stream Rian Johnson’s latest Knives Out mystery with a Netflix subscription.

In the lead-up to the release of Wake Up Dead Man on the 2025 movie schedule, I had a hunch Josh O’Connor’s character would be my favorite. As that point proved to be true, I was also pleasantly surprised by the remarkable chemistry he had with Daniel Craig in Rian Johnson’s newest Knives Out mystery. I’m not the only one who thought this, either, as fans have been having the best reactions to the actors’ chemistry in this film.

Balancing the humor with the seriousness that lives in all of these whodunnits, Josh O’Connor plays Father Jud Duplenticy, a young priest who appears to be the prime suspect in the murder of Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin). So, when Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc appears to solve this impossible crime, he works with Jud to figure out whodunnit (because they both believe it wasn’t him). This puts the Challengers actor in the place in the story that Ana de Armas had in Knives Out and Janelle Monáe had in Glass Onion, meaning he’s the detective’s right-hand man.

They were a perfect duo that fans can’t stop talking about, too. As @laurieslauence noted, they’re like:

Fans aren’t the only ones pointing out how great O’Connor is. Our review of Wake Up Dead Man called out his excellence, and critics raved about his and Craig’s work in this darker mystery.

When they’re together, they’re at the height of their powers. They complement each other perfectly, they’re both really funny, and overall, they know exactly how to balance each other out. Really, they’re like a dream duo, as @JomiAdeniran expertly pointed out by comparing them to Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant:

Fans shared some of those alley-oop moments, too. For example, the scene where they both scurry back into the church is a classic and absolutely hilarious instance in Wake Up Dead Man, as @_samepaige_ noted:

However, while they are a wonderful comedic dynamic duo, these two also make the dramatic scenes of this movie magnificent. @danielovemail wrote that the phone call scene is a clear example of this, which I totally agree with:

Throughout this movie, O’Connor’s character challenges Craig’s detective in a new and thought-provoking way. They differ in their beliefs, especially when it comes to faith, and that leads to many fascinating conversations and revelations throughout the film. It also makes for a dynamic duo, because the ways they clash help make them the ultimate complements for each other. Kind of like Sherlock and Watson, as @DaybreakReborn wrote:

“Unreal duo” is so right, and people are loving them together so much that fan edits are being made and going viral. Take this silly from @titifilms as an example:

Now, I realize that Knives Out isn’t a franchise that brings back characters from previous films. Only Benoit Blanc gets to return. However, if one were to appear again, I really hope it’s Josh O’Connor’s priest. He’s so lovable and funny, and he had astounding chemistry with Daniel Craig.

So, Rian Johnson, if you see these reactions, maybe consider capitalizing on this dynamic duo if you can, because they’re magic together.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery has finally premiered on the 2025 movie schedule and is now available with a Netflix subscription, and with it, fans of the murder mystery genre have a new adventure to go on with Benoit Blanc. Rian Johnson is clearly loving making these movies, as he’s made three in a row, and talks of a fourth have already begun. Having said that, if you have an idea for a Knives Out Mystery, don’t bother pitching it to him.

Appearing on the Awards Radar podcast, Rian Johnson confirms that, yes, people offer him ideas for future mysteries all the time, but he’ll never take one. It’s not that he thinks every idea is terrible, but he’s not going to write any idea for a film that isn’t his own. He would still love to see these good ideas become movies, however, so he has a suggestion for everybody who pitches him. He said...

As answers go, it’s not a bad one. If Rian Johnson is only ever going to do a Benoit Blanc mystery that is his idea, if anybody else has a great idea for a murder mystery, they should write it themselves. They’ll probably need to change their detective character enough to be sure he’s legally distinct from the one Daniel Craig plays, though.

Honestly, there are so many great murder mystery films, and so many different ways to do them, that it would be an easy genre to simply create a new story in. While Rian Johnson's movies often twist murder mystery tropes, his films also use those time-honored traditions. So, if somebody had an idea that started as a Knives Out concept, transforming it into something new would be fairly easy.

Rian Johnson has addressed at least one other idea for a Knives Out movie that wasn’t his. The popular suggestion that Daniel Craig should star in a movie among a cast of Muppets has been popular for years. While Johnson admitted the idea had merit, he suggested it would be difficult to make work, as it would require some Muppets to be murdered and others to be murderers, which is a fair point. Fans will need to make due with the recent Sesame Street parody to get their Muppet/Knives Out fix.

Rian Johnson has indicated that discussions of a fourth Knives Out film in the series have begun, though there is no “development” happening on the idea yet. It certainly sounds like Johnson is up for making another movie in this series. It will all come down to whether or not he gets excited enough by an idea he has, because your great idea won’t make the next movie happen. If you want to see your great idea on screen, you’ll have to do it yourself.

In the loveliest of ways, one of the Knives Out fans’ most delightful dreams came true as Benoit Blanc got turned into a Muppet named Beignet Blanc to investigate a case on Sesame Street. Now, in the lead-up to Wake Up Dead Man’s release on the 2025 movie schedule, the man behind the iconic sleuth, Daniel Craig, has reacted to this parody of his detective, and it’s delightful.

Now, while Rian Johnson said a Muppets and Knives Out movie will probably not happen, we did get a crossover of sorts. While it’s not a full-blown film like fans have been asking for, it was a delightful mystery that saw a muppet version of Benoit Blanc visit Sesame Street to figure out who ate Cookie Monster’s pie. Then, they had Daniel Craig react to it, making this all very full circle. Take a look:

First of all, I don’t think Daniel Craig would ever be recast as Benoit Blanc. However, Beignet Blanc certainly is a star in his own right, and I’d love to see the two interact. Honestly, all of this is simply wonderful. The “Forks Out” mystery is a hilarious take on Knives Out, and it gives the fans a version of what they’ve been asking for.

Then, to make matters even better, they actually got Daniel Craig to react to it, and his comments were A+. I personally love the joke he made about Josh O’Connor, who plays Father Jud Duplenticy and has been cited by critics as a highlight of Wake Up Dead Man. And while most of the James Bond actor’s comments were funny, he also seemed genuinely awestruck over this little video, as he said:

Well, that’s so sweet, and folks in the comments loved all of Craig’s reactions too. Even his Wake Up Dead Man co-star, Kerry Washington, got in on the fun, writing:

Of course, other fans thought this was “everything” too, as they posted things like:

• Daniel’s reaction is EVERYTHING!! 😍😍 -the_muttleys
• Get Daniel on Sesame St now!❤️ -jeannieoutofthe_bottle
• I’d love ❤️ to see Daniel on Sesame Street now lol 😂👏 -ebarmby
• This is all I wanted after watching the sketch yesterday 😍😭😂 -sassytinaaa
• THIS IS WHY I PAY MY INTERNET AND NETFLIX BILLS. -thetanyahayles

Between Wake Up Dead Man’s positive reviews, getting to see it in theaters and this crossover of my dreams, all this Knives Out fun has made my week. It seems like it’s also made Daniel Craig’s as well, which I love to see.

Now, if you are looking to see Beignet Blanc and the “Forks Out” mystery in full, you can watch the video on YouTube.

Then, to see Daniel Craig in action, once again, as the smooth-talking crime solver, Benoit Blanc, you can watch Wake Up Dead Man right now. It will be playing in select theaters until December 11, and then, on December 12, you’ll be able to stream the latest Knives Out mystery with a Netflix subscription.

After that, who knows, maybe someday we’ll get to see Beignet and Benoit solve a mystery together. It seems like it’d make Daniel Craig very happy, and I know the fans would just adore it.

Every now and then, the internet hands us a crossover so perfect, so unexpectedly delightful, you just have to stop what you’re doing and appreciate the craftsmanship. Today’s gift? Sesame Street dropped a full-on Knives Out parody, complete with a Muppet detective named Beignet Blanc, and it is every bit as brilliant as it sounds. It’s sharp and silly, yet somehow still feels like a loving wink at Rian Johnson’s Knives Out mystery universe.

Netflix shared the clip in an official X post, proving once again that when something goes Muppet, things only get better. The streamer captioned the video: “Beignet Blanc stars in FORKS OUT. A @SesameStreet whodunnit…” — and, honestly, the moment you see this, which you can in the video below, you’re going to know you're in for something special the moment the muppets take the screen.

The parody, titled “Forks Out,” plays out like a tiny, family-friendly Knives Out case. Cookie Monster is moments away from devouring a triple berry pie when he discovers the plate is completely empty. Oscar’s sardine pie remains tragically untouched, so clearly something sinister — or at least suspicious — is afoot. Enter Beignet Blanc, drawn like Benoit Blanc’s knitted doppelganger, complete with a Southern drawl and a serious commitment to dramatic deductions.

Blanc methodically eliminates suspects, including Cookie Monster himself (too messy), Oscar the Grouch (too proud of his sardine pie), and even name-drops Knives Out mastermind Rian Johnson. Grover, bless him, tries his hardest to be the world’s greatest detective, but Beignet Blanc stays about five steps ahead the entire time. And just like a classic whodunit, the real answer is both innocent and perfectly fitting — a twist that gives big “pastry-based Murder on the Orient Express” energy.

Rian Johnson Has Thoughts on a Muppets + Benoit Blanc Crossover

All of this arrives as fans continue to dream about the ultimate crossover: Benoit Blanc teaming up with the Muppets for a full movie. Rian Johnson himself recently explained why it wouldn’t quite work — mostly because Benoit Blanc’s cases involve murder, and the Muppets… do not. But this? This is the loophole.

A harmless little pie mystery, solved by a puppet detective who looks suspiciously like Daniel Craig? It scratches the itch without breaking either universe. It can be silly but still smart, family-friendly but still full of loving nods to Johnson’s Knives Out and sequel films. And the franchise’s creator hasn’t ruled this sort of crossover completely out, admitting, the answer would be to throw Blanc into a new Muppets movie, and that would be so much fun to see. So, come on, let’s make this happen, money people.

At the end of the day, “Forks Out” is the exact kind of joyful chaos that reminds us why the Muppets and Knives Out both have such loyal followings. Rian Johnson might never sign off on a full Benoit-meets-Muppets crossover, but if Sesame Street (new episodes streaming with a Netflix subscription) wants to keep tossing us these Beignet Blanc mini-mysteries, I’ll happily take them.

Honestly, the Muppet universe is already buzzing as Seth Rogen has a new Muppet Show special in the works for those with a Disney+ subscription, and Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Stone are teaming up for a Miss Piggy movie penned by Cole Escola. The loss of Muppets Mayhem still stings, and probably will until something big steps in to replace it.

With any luck, those two projects will hit so well that Disney ends up begging Rian Johnson to take on the next big ensemble Muppet movie. And if one of those characters just happens to be watching a Knives Out flick in the background? That’s a perfectly canon-safe way to slip Benoit Blanc into the fun.

Until then, fans can catch the recently released third entry in the mystery franchise, Wake Up Dead Man, in theaters now, before it arrives on Netflix on December 12.

Rian Johnson's Knives Out franchise is a delightful whodunit series, which occupies both theater sand the small screen for those with a Netflix subscription. The property is an anthology series, with a new cast of characters used every chapter, although they all feature Daniel Craig's Benoit Blanc. And the filmmaker recently spoke to CinemaBlend about why so little of the detective's backstory is brought to the films.

Aside from Joseph Gordon-Levitt's voice cameos, Craig's Blanc has been the only consistent part of the Knives Out series. While Glass Onion revealed his relationship with Hugh Grant's Phillip, the movies don't really focus on Benoit's personal life. As you can see above, Johnson spoke to CinemaBlend ahead of Wake Up Dead Man's release in theaters. And when asked about the backstory and if that fictional couple was still together, he shared:

Points were made. While fans might be curious to know more about Blanc, that's ultimately not what the Knives Out movies are about. Instead, his backstory is only revealed when it's relevant to his investigations... usually while connecting with the leading characters who need his help.

For Wake Up Dead Man, he doesn't share all that much, but Blanc's comments about religion seem to hint at some pain related to faith. And since he's a gay man, I have to assume that's part of this story. Later in the same interview, Johnson spoke more about what motivates Daniel Craig's character to share, saying:

This offers a peek behind the curtain on Rian Johnson's creative process for the mystery franchise. While the filmmaker revealed that he can't write Knives Out in advance due to their connection with current events, he's also only peeling back Benoit Blanc's layers when the story (and new protagonists) call for it.

In the same interview, Johnson affirmed that we shouldn't expect the detective's backstory to be fully explored in future installments. As he put it:

Clearly he's got a method to his madness, so why mess with that now? Wake Up Dead Man is the third installment of the successful series, and Rian Johnson isn't planning on ending things with a trilogy. CinemaBlend's Knives Out 3 review praised the new movie, while also highlighting how unique (and less fun) it is compared to the previous two installments.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is in theaters now as part of the 2025 movie release list, and will arrive on Netflix on December 12th. We'll just have to wait and see what Johnson plans for the fourth movie, and what we learn about Daniel Craig's character in the process.

Filmmaker Rian Johnson’s latest big screen effort, Wake Up Dead Man, is the best of the Knives Out films, at least in my mind, despite losing some of the casual humor and charm of its predecessors. The third entry’s religious subject matter and reflections on faith make it somewhat harder for fans to continue pushing for a long-gestating dream crossover movie: Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc enlisting the entire Muppets ensemble to help solve a mystery. Still, you can bet we’ll keep clamoring for it, especially now that the director addressed the idea.

Amazingly enough, Johnson actually gave the mash-up pitch idea full consideration as a self-proclaimed Muppets fan himself, but explained to THR why he doesn’t think it would be nearly as enjoyable as rabid fans believe it would be. As much as it pains me to say it, I kind of agree with his point. Here's what he said:

It's not even just a vocal desire, as fans have put together mash-up videos combining Benoit Blanc and Jim Henson's creations, mostly to positive effect. But all that is of course, just preexisting footage juxtaposed, as opposed to someone crafting an original story for the human and felt-covered characters to partner up on. That's where Johnson's hesitance rears its head, since his detective exists on a plane driven entirely by facts and reality. Meanwhile, the Muppets are the Muppets.

I don't think audiences would get too caught up or upset over a Muppet character being killed off, so long as it's someone who hasn't featured prominently before, in the way that The Simpsons has killed off background characters. (Or, hell, just kill Walter, I guess. Or make it look like he's dead.) Also, it's entirely possible that the Muppets could join an investigation regarding a human being murdered. I get that the crime itself is a sticking point, but this isn't Muppet Babies. (Unless he wanted to make a feature out of that, because I'd take it.)

Rian Johnson continued, saying why he doesn't think the alternate of the above would work either:

I can see how it might take away some of the seriousness of Blanc's past efforts if he spent a whole movie warding off Fozzie's C- puns and Miss Piggy's amorous advances. And while audiences might not care as much, as the character's creator, Johnson likely doesn't want to amend Blanc's legacy in any ways that aren't automatically positive. No good to make such thoughtful movies that could be upended by a clip of Craig attempting to make borscht with Swedish Chef.

It all comes down to this brilliant final sentiment, though, since it should 100% be the grand takeaway that everyone at Disney should be paying attention to. The Last Jedi director concluded with:

Give this man all the money! Especially now that we're in a good spot for in-development Muppet projects. Not only is Seth Rogen working on a new Muppet Show special for Disney+, but also Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Stone are teaming for a Miss Piggy movie written by Cole Escola. The sting of Muppets Mayhem's cancellation is still there, and likely will be until another new project fills the void.

So hopefully the above pair of projects will work out so succesfully that Disney begs Rian Johnson to tackle the next grouped-up Muppets movie. And that one of the characters will be watching a Knives Out movie, thus bringing Benoit Blanc into the mix in a way that doesn't break canon. In the meantime, Wake Up Dead Man is currently in theaters, with a Netflix premiere date set for December 12.

Rian Johnson has found success with different types of movies, from the neo-noir mystery Brick to Star Wars: The Last Jedi. However, more recently, his name has become synonymous with the murder mystery genre. Between the Knives Out series — the latest of which, Wake Up Dead Man, is set to hit the 2025 movie calendar in December — and Poker Face, Johnson has been a big part of repopularizing the genre, but it turns out the inspiration to do so had been bubbling for longer than we may have realized.

Knives Out was a hit when it was released in 2019, introducing audiences to Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc, the world’s greatest detective, with his Southern drawl and wonderfully flamboyant sense of style. It turns out ole Benny rented space in Rian Johnson’s head for some time before he made his debut six years ago. Ram Bergman, co-producer on the Knives Out films, told Variety the idea was born a full decade before the first movie’s release.

In fact, he said that Rian Johnson first mentioned the concept of doing a murder mystery with Benoit Blanc when he was on his first date with Karina Longworth, who he married in 2018.

It's really special that these movies were something that Rian Johnson and Karina Longworth talked about from the very beginning of their relationship and now — more than a decade later and after seven years of marriage — the Benoit Blanc mysteries have become such a phenomenon.

There’s also another pretty cool connection between Karina Longworth and Rian Johnson’s career in murder mysteries. Apparently we have her to thank for Poker Face, as Natasha Lyonne apparently met Johnson at one of Longworth’s book signings. According to SyFy, the Orange Is the New Black star said:

So not only was Karina Longworth around for the birth of Benoit Blanc, but she was apparently instrumental in the creation of Charlie Cale.

Of course, the fate of the case-of-the-week series is up in the air right now, as Peacock canceled Poker Face after Season 2. However, Rian Johnson has confirmed that he’s shopping the series around, with Peter Dinklage possibly in talks to take over the role of the human bullshit detector.

Maybe Rian Johnson should get his wife to work some of her magic with the universe to make that happen, because I like her track record so far!

If you want to revisit Rian Johnson’s murder mystery work, Wake Up Dead Man hits theaters on Friday, December 12, while Knives Out can be streamed on Prime Video and Glass Onion on Netflix. Poker Face, meanwhile, is available on Peacock, so in order to get the best prices on all of these, be sure to check out our Black Friday streaming deals.

Filmmaker Rian Johnson has become synonymous with the Knives Out franchise over the years. And while the third installment Wake Up Dead Man was the hardest to write, he was working with some longtime collaborators like cinematographer Steve Yedlin. And he spoke to CinemaBlend about his many years making movies with Johnson, dating back to when they were teenagers.

Yedlin has worked on a ton of Rian Johnson projects over the years, including his subversive masterpiece Star Wars: The Last Jedi, as well as the comedy mystery series Poker Face (which is streaming with a Peacock subscription). I had the chance to speak with him ahead of the release of Wake Up Dead Man, where Yedlin spoke about his years-long working relationship with Johnson. As he told me:

This sounds like a pretty ideal way to work in the film industry. Not only does Steve Yedlin know that Rian Johnson will likely hire him for any future projects, but they've found a way to collaborate that helps to make each other better. And their trust is part of the reason why projects like the Knives Out franchise look and feel so fresh.

While Rian Johnson can't write the Knives Out movies in advance, it's safe to say that he's got his cinematographer on lock. Later in our conversation, Yedlin spoke about why their working relationship functions so well, saying:

This truly does sound like a winning combination. Because while Rian Johnson offers feedback and direction to Yedlin, it's seemingly in an open-ended way that allows the accomplished cinematographer to use his own expertise and artistic vision. This alchemy of filmmaking is likely why their projects are so consistently captivating, spanning genres and both TV and film. Wake Up Dead Man definitely is a visual treat, one that looks and feels unique to the previous Knives Out films.

Wake Up Dead Man leans more into gothic imagery, and overall feels more spooky than the previous two Knives Out movies which lean more into camp. There are some visually striking moments, especially in the way light comes in and out of the church set, which is the primary location of the film.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is in theaters now as part of the 2025 movie release list, and will start streaming on December 12th for those with a Netflix subscription. Personally, I'll be looking forward to whatever Rian Johnson and Steve Yedlin work on together next.

The Knives Out franchise have consistently brought whodunnits back to theaters (and streaming for those with a Netflix subscription). Along with stellar ensemble casts, they've also each contained subtle voice cameos by frequent Rian Johnson collaborator Joseph Gordon-Levitt. His new movie Wake Up Dead Man is no exception, and he told CinemaBlend where to spot the latest cameo.

What we know about Wake Up Dead Man has been limited, as the franchise tries to guard its secrets. But the latest mystery is now officially in theaters ahead of its release on Netflix in December. As you can see above, Johnson spoke to CinemaBlend ahead of its release, and revealed the sly way he snuck Gordon-Levitt into the threequel. In his words:

Mind blown. This is another blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, especially since the 500 Days of Summer actor isn't physically seen on screen. Instead his voice can be heard as an announcer when Thomas Haden Church's Samson Holt is shown watching a baseball game in his garage. It's certainly not the focus of the scene, which is why it's so easy to miss on the first watch.

While Johnson said Wake Up Dead Man was the hardest Knives Out movie to write, he seemingly didn't have that same struggle with finding a way to include Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Good thing, as now it's something that fans of the franchise look forward to.

For those who don't remember, JGL has had a voice cameo in all three of the Knives Out movies. In the 2019 original movie he can be heard voicing a TV detective in a show Marta's sister is watching. For Glass Onion things got even sillier, with Levitt voicing the dong that goes off every hour for Edward Norton's Miles Bron.

Only time will tell if the Inception actor gets to actually grace the screen in a Knives Out movie. All three installments have featured incredible ensemble casts, and Gordon-Levitt is a versatile talent who could play a variety of roles. It's actually surprising it hasn't happened yet, but these cameos are thoroughly delightful for cinephiles.

Obviously the Knives Out franchise first and foremost stars Daniel Craig, who plays the charming detective Benoit Blanc throughout the trilogy. And while the franchise is very much set up to be an anthology piece, there have been a few other recurring actors. Noah Segan has chewed the scenery in small but hilarious roles in all three titles, and Jeremy Renner's likeness was used ahead of him playing an actual role in Wake Up Dead Man.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is in theaters now as part of the 2025 movie release list. It will become available to stream after its premiere on Netflix December 12th. We'll just have to wait to see what Rian Johnson has up his sleeve for the next installment, and how Joseph Gordon-Levitt ends up being incorporated.

Over the last few years, director Rian Johnson has become synonymous with his Knives Out franchise. The third installment Wake Up Dead Man is heading to theaters shortly before becoming available to stream with a Netflix subscription in December. CinemaBlend spoke to the filmmaker about this threequel, and he offered an update about the fourth movie (and why he hasn't written the franchise in advance). Let's break it all down.

While folks re-watch Knives Out, the third movie Wake Up Dead Man will is heading to theaters. Early reception for Knives Out 3 has been overwhelmingly positive, so it seems like the whodunnit franchise isn't going to stop anytime soon. As you can see in the video above, Johnson spoke to CinemaBlend ahead of the new movie's release, and when asked if the fourth installment is already on its way he said:

This makes a ton of sense to me. Rather than simply churning out new Knives Out stories for the sake of making money, Johnson is making sure that he's telling a compelling enough story. And since he's working on an upcoming movie set outside of the Daniel Craig-led franchise, the development process for the fourth movie might take a while.

Later in the same interview with CinemaBlend, Rian Johnson further explained why he's unable to write the Knives Out movies in advance. Namely because they so often are inspired by what's going on in the real world. As he put it:

Those of us who have followed Benoit Blanc's adventures on the screen so far will know that Johnson is right on the money here. Glass Onion in particular felt very of the moment, as it was set in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. And in order to make each new installment connected to the real world, Rian Johnson can't pen his sequels in advance.

Johnson's comments are sure to inspire questions about what original project he'll be working on prior to Knives Out 4. There are some that are still hoping that Johnson's Star Wars trilogy comes to fruition, considering how The Last Jedi was a subversive masterpiece. Unfortunately, there hasn't been any real news on that front.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery hits theaters November 26th as part of the 2025 movie release list, and will arrive on Netflix December 12th. We'll just have to be patient when waiting for news about the fourth Knives Out flick.

Not everyone wants masked killers and new horror movies in their autumn lineup, and that’s perfectly fine. Some viewers prefer a steaming mug of cider, cozy socks, a warm blanket, and a movie that feels like it was filmed inside a pumpkin-scented candle.

If you love the cozy, romantic, and slightly mystical vibe of Practical Magic, these seven films are perfect companions for your 2025 movie schedule of crisp fall nights. These flicks might not have the highest Rotten Tomatoes scores, but they have all the mood, the colors, and the nostalgia—they bring the ultimate sweater-weather energy—without the terror. So light a candle, grab your favorite knit throw, and get ready for the cinematic equivalent of curling up by the fire.

Practical Magic (1998)

Let’s start with the ultimate fall comfort watch and witch-related flick, Practical Magic. Few films have ever captured autumn’s cozy-meets-melancholy atmosphere quite like this witchy gem starring Sandra Bullock (in my favorite of her movies) and Nicole Kidman as the Owens sisters. From its New England setting and candlelit kitchens to Stevie Nicks’ spellbinding soundtrack, it’s practically pumpkin spice in movie form.

The film blends the vibes of the best romantic comedies, with grief, sisterhood, and a touch of the supernatural, all with a ton of heart. The house itself is as iconic as the spellwork (and yes, the internet has spent decades trying to track down blueprints). There’s a reason Practical Magic resurfaces every fall on social media, and that’s because of it's warm, witchy, and full-of-heart, making it perfect for viewers who want a little magic without the mayhem. It is truly better than you remember, so cue it up and give it a watch.

Knives Out (2019)

If you prefer your fall movies with a little mystery instead of magic, Rian Johnson’s Knives Out is the ultimate non-scary thriller. Set in a sprawling, creaky mansion in Massachusetts, it’s basically a modern-day Agatha Christie tale. The autumnal setting, complete with iconic cozy turtlenecks, hot mugs of coffee, and dark wood interiors, makes it an ideal cold-weather pick.

Daniel Craig’s southern-fried detective, Ana de Armas’ charming nurse, and Chris Evans’ infamous cable-knit sweater are reason enough to watch. But the real joy of Knives Out is its playful tone — it’s suspenseful but never scary and clever but comforting. It’s the perfect “I want a Halloween vibe but also want to sleep tonight” kind of movie. With two films in the franchise and a third one on the way, the upcoming Wake Up Dead Man, Knives Out is a great fall movie, and there is no better time to cuddle up and get acquainted with the franchise.

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

I’m admittedly not the biggest Wes Anderson fan, except for his stop-motion work, and in my opinion, Fantastic Mr. Fox is a cinematic masterpiece, equivalent to your favorite cozy cardigan. With its warm orange palette, rustic soundtrack, and gentle humor, it feels tailor-made for fall. A page-to-screen adaptation of Roald Dahl’s beloved children’s book, it follows the clever Mr. Fox (voiced by George Clooney) as he tries to outwit a trio of grouchy farmers.

Every frame is a visual delight filled with golden leaves, corduroy textures, and homes lit by tiny lanterns. It’s as comforting as it is funny, appealing to kids and adults alike. If you’re the kind of person who keeps a fall aesthetic Pinterest board year-round, this is your movie. Seriously, for my money, this is one of Wes Anderson’s best movies and does not get talked about enough.

The Village (2004)

I will stand by the fact that M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village is one of his best films. I don’t care if people get hung up on ranking his twist endings and find this one underwhelming, which contributes to his mixed critical reception. If you put that aside, this is such an enjoyable film. It might technically be labeled a thriller, but make no mistake, The Village is more atmospheric than terrifying. The film’s hauntingly beautiful setting feels like a love letter to fall. Bryce Dallas Howard’s performance as the kind-hearted Ivy anchors the story, while James Newton Howard’s sweeping score adds a rich emotional layer.

There are moments of tension, sure, but this isn’t a jump-scare movie; it is instead a slow, thoughtful exploration of fear, love, and community. For those who like their fall films with a touch of unease and a lot of gorgeous cinematography, The Village scratches that autumnal itch without sending you diving behind the couch.

Coco (2017)

Pixar’s Coco might be set in Mexico rather than a small New England town, but its heart, family, memory, and tradition make it a beautiful addition to any fall movie list. Celebrating Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), the film balances themes of love and loss with stunning visuals and music that will have you crying and humming along in equal measure, culminating in one of the best Latino movies of recent memory.

Miguel’s journey through the Land of the Dead isn’t scary — it’s vibrant, touching, and deeply human. With its marigold color palette and emotional resonance, Coco captures that autumnal feeling of remembering those who came before us. It’s a gentle reminder that family connections — even the ones that span lifetimes — are worth celebrating. This flick is up there with the best of Pixar’s films.

The Lake House (2006)

Yes, it’s technically a time-travel romance, but The Lake House is wildly underrated as a romantic movie. It also has all the melancholy, poetic energy of a fall evening. Starring Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves (in one of their most quietly affecting pairings), the movie follows two people who communicate across time by exchanging letters left in a mysterious mailbox.

The muted colors, reflective tone, and slow-burning storytelling make it perfect for the season. It’s wistful, a little sad, and somehow comforting — like rereading an old love letter or listening to a favorite song from another time. There’s no horror here, just a gentle ache and the kind of magic that could only exist in movies.

When Harry Met Sally (1989)

If fall had an official romantic comedy, it would be When Harry Met Sally. The scenes of Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal walking through Central Park’s golden leaves have become as iconic as any horror movie’s haunted house. It’s warm, funny, and endlessly quotable — "I’ll have what she’s having," anyone? — the ultimate comfort watch for anyone who’d rather sip cider than scream.

What makes When Harry Met Sally endure, beyond the witty dialogue and perfect chemistry, is its emotional honesty. It’s about love, yes, but also about friendship, growth, and timing — these are characters who don’t like each other at first, then grow to be best friends, and then fall in love. It’s a romantic comedy trope we don’t see much of these days, and that’s unfortunate, because it deals with themes that are timeless and resonate even more deeply as the weather cools and the year winds down. Watching it in October feels as essential as pulling out your favorite flannel.

Final Thoughts On Cozy, Not Creepy

There’s something special about fall, because it's the perfect blend of nostalgia and change, of endings and new beginnings. While the best horror movies may dominate the season, they’re not the only way to feel that autumn mood. Whether it’s the quiet sisterhood of Practical Magic, the sharp wit of Knives Out, or the bittersweet romance of The Lake House, these films remind us that coziness can be just as thrilling as a good scare.

Rian Johnson has written some incredible movies. Movies like Brick and Looper are still incredibly popular with cinephiles. His two previous movies starring Daniel Craig as Bernoit Blanc, Knives Out and Glass Onion, have been complex murder mysteries while also subverting genre tropes in interesting ways. Perhaps all his previous work set the bar high, as Johnson says his new Benoit Blanc story, Wake Up Dead Man, is the hardest script he’s ever written.

Writing any sort of mystery story has to be difficult. The entire idea is to come up with a story that, while it could be figured out by the audience, is also difficult enough that it is unlikely to be solved before the end. However, Rian Johnson tells Empire that part of what made Wake Up Dead Man so difficult to write was its subject matter, due to his own religious upbringing. He said…

The Wake Up Dead Man trailer shows us that the murder victim will be Monsignor Wicks, played by Josh Brolin, who is seemingly killed while inside a locked room. That premise alone is the sort of thing that would make most mystery writers sweat, but it was more about the religious elements of the story that caused Johnson to spend months simply thinking about the movie before he even started to write it.

The fact that the story surrounds a church isn't simply a setting. To hear Johnson tell it, the movie will deal with religion and faith in a major way, and while Johnson isn’t religious himself anymore, he still wanted to approach all of it in a way that gave the proper respect to the subject matter. He continued…

Perhaps the deeper themes of Wake Up Dead Man are part of the reason that the Knives Out sequel is the most straightforward mystery of the trilogy. It looks like Rian Johnson gave himself quite a challenge with the new movie. We’ll all see whether or not he succeeded when the film hits theaters for a brief run next month, ahead of it being made available with a Netflix subscription in December.

Rian Johnson’s mystery films starring Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc owe their existence to classic murder mysteries like those from the great Agatha Christie. Having said that, the films have also been very different, with Knives Out and Glass Onion both including some sort of significant twist on the genre tropes.

As somebody who loves classic murder mysteries, the twists in the previous Rian Johnson movies have been fun ways to refresh a tired genre. At the same time, the tropes of the classic whodunit are part of what makes the genre so much fun. This is why I’m so happy to learn that while the newest Knives Out Mystery, Wake Up Dead Man, will be darker than the previous mysteries, it will also be more like a classic murder mystery than the previous films. Speaking with Deadline, Rian Johnson said…

The setup of Wake Up Dead Man, at least in structure, sounds a lot like that of Knives Out. In that case, Ana de Armas played the film’s actual protagonist, with Daniel Craig’s detective only getting called in after she found herself involved in a murder. The major twist there was that the protagonist was also the killer, or at least that’s the way it seemed for the majority of the film.

In this case, Josh O'Connor will be taking on that role as the film's protagonist. Based on the Wake Up Dead Man trailer, it appears O'Connor will act as a sort of assistant to Craig's Benoit Blanc.

Both Knives Out and Glass Onion change up the traditional mystery by giving the audience more information than they usually have in this type of story. It sounds like, in the case of Wake Up Dead Man, if it is a “more traditional murder mystery structure” that may not be the case. If we get a setup that opens like Knives Out, but without that additional information, we’ll have a movie that will probably follow most of the classic murder mystery set pieces.

As much as I love the way Rian Johnson has put his own twist on the genre, I’ve always wanted to see Benoit Blanc in a more traditional mystery. If I, as an audience member, am given all the same clues as Benoit Blanc, could I solve the mystery before he does? I'd like the opportunity to find out, and the previous films haven't really given us that opportunity.. If this is the last Benoit Blanc mystery, it would be great if the final film subverts our expectations of the murder mystery by actually giving us a classic one.

When Rian Johnson released Knives Out, it was something of a revelation. The writer/ director’s take, which is equal parts homage and subversion on the classic whodunit, was a smash hit. This lead to the movie getting the green light for not one, but two sequels out of the gate. The third entry in the franchise Wake Up Dead Man is set to arrive in theaters soon, ahead of it becoming available with a Netflix subscription, but one of the biggest questions won’t be whodunit. It will be, will there be more?

It’s unclear what the odds are of getting a fourth mystery with Benoit Blanc, aka Daniel Craig’s detective who has already joined the ranks of some of the greatest in the genre. If it does happen, the movie will have to collect another ensemble that is on par with the incredible casts of the first three movies Although, when asked by Variety which actor from the previous films he would like to see return, Craig did quickly come up with a name, saying…

The cast of the three Benoit Blanc movies have been stellar, so seeing any of them return would be fantastic for the simple reason that they’re all great actors. Of course, Jamie Lee Curtis has indicated a willingness to return to Rian Johnson’s Knives Out universe, so Craig seemingly feels he has to pick her.

But let’s not pretend that seeing Jame Lee Curtis return, for whatever contrived reason one could come up with, wouldn’t be fantastic. She was stellar in Knives Out, and she was one of the characters who was especially good at not being impressed by Benoit Blanc. This would likely make her return especially exciting if it happened.

Of course, Daniel Craig follows his choice of Jamie Lee Curtis by saying that all of the casts are great and he would love to see them all return for a theoretical fourth movie. The Wake Up Dead Man cast is one to rival the others for star power, to be sure. It’s clear that Craig is as impressed with the casts in these movies as everybody else. He said…

The only thing left to wish for is more Benoit Blanc movies. I certainly hope we see more of them. One of the great things about a genre like the whodunit is that they really can go on forever. Based on the early response to Wake Up Dead Man is another great

I hope we see many more with even more incredible casts. And if they can figure out away for Jamie Lee Curtis, and maybe a few others, to return now and then, so much the better.

Benoit Blanc is back for another mystery, as Daniel Craig’s lovable (and now-wild-haired) sleuth returns in Wake Up Dead Man, the third entry in Rian Johnson’s Knives Out franchise. As is customary, he’ll be surrounded with an entirely new cast of characters (or more specifically, suspects). Up until this point, fans had only received small teases in regard to the new players on this board this time around. However, thanks to a new trailer, we have a somewhat better sense of these new faces, and I think I already have a favorite.

Wake Up Dead Man’s Trailer Sets Up A Mystery With Religious Implications

As revealed in this new trailer above, the third Knives Out film will see Blanc solve the murder of a priest and, as previously teased, this case is going to test Benoit like no other one ever has. Religious iconography was present in the Wake Up Dead Man teaser that dropped months ago, and this new trailer only expands upon. The gothic undertones are also present and appropriate for this holy (or unholy, depending on how you look at it) affair.

This new flick puts the detective among yet another assortment of interesting individuals, including Martha Delacroix (Glenn Close), Dr. Nat Sharp (Jeremy Renner), Rev. Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor), Lee Ross (Andrew Scott), Simone Vivane (Cailee Spaeney), Vera Draven (Kerry Washington), Cy Draven (Daryl McCormack) and Samson Holt (Thomas Haden Church). And, per the trailer, the dead man at the center of the mystery is one Msgr. Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin).

What I like about this trailer is that it includes flashes of several of the characters’ personalities. Even if they don’t actually speak, passing glimpses even suggest the kind of demeanors these people have in the face of death. As always, Rian Johnson has put together a talented ensemble. Of course, these films usually have one standout star – aside from Daniel Craig – and there’s one that already has my attention.

There’s One Particular Wake Up Dead Man Star I Already Find Incredibly Amusing

Hollywood is filled with bright, young stars at the moment, and Josh O’Connor is definitely one of them. O’Connor made his big-screen breakthrough in the 2017 film God’s Own Country, though he later received greater acclaim (and Emmy and Golden Globe Awards) for his work on The Crown. The British star’s filmography has been growing, with strong films like Emma, Lee and Challengers under his belt. Now, it seems Knives Out 3 could be yet another solid showcase for him.

During the Wake Up trailer, Josh O’Connor’s Rev. Duplenticy has a few standout moments, and they left me chuckling. For instance, the sight of the young clergyman accidentally dropping an expletive in the presence of Martha Delacroix is so good. What also seems intriguing is the relationship between Duplenticy and Blanc, who seem to form a partnership of sorts, based on the trailer. Duplenticy’s uneasiness when faced with Blanc’s intensity is excellent, and his attempts to get answers out of the suspects looks hilarious, too.

It seems my theory that the Mastermind star could steal the movie isn’t unfounded, either. Amid early reactions to Wake Up Dead Man, his performance as Duplenticy has been praised by critics. While I try not to get too affected by early hype, this new trailer has me incredibly confident that O’Connor is going to run away with this 2025 Netflix release.

Of course, I’m looking forward to seeing how all of the cast members interact with each other. We’ll finally be able to see just that when Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery opens in select theaters starting on November 26 alongside other 2025 movie releases. The mystery flick will also be available to stream with a Netflix subscription starting on December 12.

A number of titles on the 2025 movie schedule are greatly anticipated by cinephiles, and one of those is definitely Wake Up Dead Man. The film is the third entry in Rian Johnson’s Knives Out franchise, which centers on mystery-centric exploits of southern sleuth Benoit Blanc (played by Daniel Craig). Early glimpses at the film have suggested that this installment has a different tone compared to its predecessors. Now that the movie has been screened, that tonal change has been confirmed, and audiences seem to love it thus far.

The first teaser for Wake Up Dead Man was released a few months ago and conveyed a gothic aesthetic, and that differed from the motifs of Knives Out and Glass Onion. After the film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival this weekend, many pundits made note of the change when sharing their reactions. Collider’s Perri Nemiroff shared effusive praise for the mystery flick, calling it "refreshingly different” and heaping praise on the cast:

Another aspect of Rian Johnson’s threequel that’s been emphasized as of late is religion, which seems to play into the story heavily. Journalist Mike Ryan mentioned that element while sharing positive thoughts on the movie himself. And, while Johnson has been known to deliver some major twists in his whodunit franchise, it seems the altered tone is what caught really Ryan by surprise (in a good way):

Specific plot details on the third Knives Out movie are scarce but, based on what’s been shown thus far, Rian Johnson takes viewers to church (figuratively and literally) for a murder case that truly tests Benoit Blanc. The skilled detective seems to be in a different frame of mind this time around, at least that’s what his wild new haircut seems to suggest. Daniel Craig leads yet another star-studded ensemble, which includes Josh O’Connor, Jeremy Renner, Mila Kunis, Josh Brolin, Kerry Washington, Glenn Close, Andrew Scott, Daryl McCormack, Cailee Spaeny and Thomas Haden Church.

The ensembles have been among the greatest strengths of these Blanc movies, and it seems the third flick in the series excels in that regard as well. It’s also not uncommon for there to be a standout or two. When sharing his own reaction, pundit Scott Menzel not only praised the movie, but he singled out Josh O’Connor’s performance as well:

The first two films in Rian Johnson’s franchise are great, so he had a high bar to clear when it came to this latest one. Nevertheless, journalist Lauren Bradshaw opined that this 2025 Netflix movie release proves this IP still has some kick to it. Like some others, Bradshaw also made note of the change in tone:

Considering all of this praise, ranking these three mystery films may be a difficult feat. If you ask reporter Scott Mantz, though, he’d seemingly tell you that this newest installment is the one to beat:

As a fan of the Knives Out movies myself, I couldn’t be more excited hearing all of the strong sentiments being shared about Wake Up Dead Man. Rian Johnson doesn’t have immediate plans for the future of this franchise, as of right now. Yet, should this be the end of Benoit Blanc, it sounds like this somewhat somber film could make for a solid trilogy capper. Check out the film, which hits select theaters for a limited time on November 26, and it’ll later be available for Netflix subscription holders to stream, starting December 12.

Benoit Blanc is back for another mystery, and that means Rian Johnson has assembled an Avengers-like cast of A-listers to build the ensemble of his latest whodunnit. I reference Marvel for a reason, too, because Jeremy Renner, Hawkeye himself and a member of the Wake Up Dead Man cast, recently compared working on Knives Out 3 to the MCU for reasons that make total sense.

The 2025 movie schedule is about to be graced with Rian Johnson’s latest mystery, which means the giant and star-studded cast is starting to do press for it. This includes Jeremy Renner, who is no stranger to being part of a big ensemble. So, while chatting about signing on to this Knives Out mystery with Variety, he explained how that process was similar to working for Marvel:

Marvel famously keeps their scripts under lock and key, and in some cases, the actors don’t even know the full extent of the scenes they’re shooting. While it’s unclear if that was fully the case on Wake Up Dead Man, it sounds like Renner did say yes to making the movie without reading the full script.

However, considering the reputation of Knives Out and Glass Onion, it’s not surprising that actors would say yes to the next film in this series without knowing the complete story. Plus, the last thing you’d want is who did it getting out into the world. So the secrecy is warranted. On top of that, Rian Johnson and Daniel Craig have set quite the precedent with these modern whodunnits, and Renner touched on that, saying:

That “pedigree” and cast of “kickass actors” is also something the MCU is known for, too. Just take a look at the Avengers: Doomsday cast, and you’ll see what I mean. Or, for a more fitting example, think about Renner’s involvement in the original Avengers film or Endgame. Those casts were insanely stacked with Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo and more, and the reputation surrounding the movies was incredible. Even if the actors didn’t know exactly what they were signing up for, they likely knew they were going to be in something good.

I think the same can be assumed for Wake Up Dead Man. Reviews for both Knives Out and Glass Onion were solid, and the casts for them were next level, with A-listers like Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Edward Norton, Kate Hudson and many, many more involved.

This third mystery from Johnson also features a “kickass” cast, to nobody's surprise. Alongside Renner, his fellow MCU alum, Josh Brolin, will be in Knives Out 3. They’ll also be featured in the film alongside Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Mila Kunis, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack and Thomas Haden Church. That’s an Avengers-level ensemble if you ask me.

So, yeah, it totally tracks to me that the Hawkeye star would compare his upcoming movie to working for Marvel. It’s a top-secret, highly anticipated and star-studded endeavor.

Now, I’m even more excited to see Wake Up Dead Man, too, because the hype is clearly so real for it if we’re out here comparing it to the MCU. So, you best believe I’ll be in theaters on November 26 to see the film on the big screen, and then I’ll likely be watching it again with a Netflix subscription come December 12.

In 2019, Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc joined Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot and so many more as one of the great fictional detectives thanks to his investigation in Knives Out. Blanc returned three years later for Glass Onion, and Wake Up Dead Man will bring him back into our lives towards the end of the 2025 movies calendar. The first teaser for the informally-known Knives Out 3 revealed that it will skew darker compared to its predecessors, and I’m especially intrigued by what writer/director Rian Johnson recently said about how this case affect impact Craig’s character.

This time around, there’s a religious bent to the murder that Benoit Blanc’s looking into, as the Netflix subscription-exclusive Wake Up Dead Man centers around a New England church. Johnson told Empire that “all the suspects are regulars in the parish,” but this won’t be a simple solve for Blanc, even going off the standards set by Knives Out and Glass Onion. The filmmaker explained:

The more I learn about Wake Up Dead Man, the more it reminds me of A Haunting in Venice, i.e. Kenneth Branagh’s third outing as the aforementioned Hercule Poirot. Following Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile, the 2023 movie not only thrust Agatha Christie’s creation into significantly darker territory as well, it also involved what appeared to be supernatural elements at first. As with A Haunting in Venice, it stands to reason that Benoit will eventually uncover that these “miraculous” things are not what they seem.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Blanc investigation without him teaming up with someone. In Knives Out, that was Ana de Armas’ Marta Cabrera, and then Glass Onion brought in Janelle Monáe’s Helen Brand. Josh O’Connor’s Father Judge will be Blanc’s partner in Wake Up Dead Man, with Rian Johnson adding:

Might some of that “shit” be him breaking up with Hugh Grant’s Phillip, whom we briefly saw in Glass Onion? Or did something else happen to Benoit Blanc in the time since we last saw him on Miles Bron’s island? Whatever’s happening with him, it sounds like this case at the church will impact him more personally than his previous two cinematic adventures.

Daniel Craig and Josh O’Connor are joined in Wake Up Dead Man by Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack and Thomas Haden Church. Watch it on Netflix starting Friday, December 12.

Rian Johnson’s Knives Out series of movies continues this year with Wake Up Dead Man being among Netflix's 2025 releases. So, as we approach Benoit Blanc’s latest case, if you're wondering whether it will be the cap-off to a trilogy or simply another entry, the writer/director has offered his take on the subject.

Rian Johnson Shares Thoughts On The Future Of The Knives Out

On the heels of Johnson closing out the critically acclaimed second season of Poker Face, the filmmaker was asked about how he’s feeling about the future of his other mystery-based project, the Knives Out movies. In his words to Rolling Stone:

Now, Knives Out 4 doesn’t seem to be in development yet, but from where Rian Johnson stands, it sounds like Wake Up Dead Man will not be the end of the Benoit Blanc series. The filmmaker hasn’t stopped having fun with his original murder mystery concept, and as long as that’s central to the experience, there could be many more Knives Out mysteries ahead of us.

Johnson also told the magazine that what he ends up “chasing” when making a movie or TV show is “the experience.” And, he’s not looking to feel like he’s “eating the same thing for lunch every day” when it comes to his work. In terms of Knives Out, because he’s had the chance to play with tone and genre each time, he’s happy to keep playing within the universe. But, that being said, he also has hopes to make a musical at some point, and is currently writing a “stand-alone thing” as his “next thing.”

What’s Going On With Knives Out 3?

Here’s what we know so far about Wake Up Dead Man. Once again, Benoit Blanc will be going to a whole new setting for his next case, and this one seems to revolve around some kind of “impossible crime" that is being “dressed as a miracle” with a church being a key setting. Based on the marketing so far, Josh O’Connor seems to be a major lynchpin of the movie. Check out the Wake Up Dead Man teaser below:

Once again, the cast is very much stacked for the latest Benoit Blanc mystery, with Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, Thomas Haden Church, and Daniel Craig, of course, all being involved.

The movie will be available to watch with a Netflix subscription on December 12. And it seems like there will be more mysteries afoot in the future if Rian Johnson has anything to say about it.

Dear readers, Benoit Blanc is back… again. Roughly three years after Glass Onion: a Knives Out mystery, the 2025 movie schedule welcomes Daniel Craig and Rian Johnson back, as they reteam for some more sharp witted mystery solving. But their upcoming Netflix movie, Wake Up Dead Man, doesn’t look like it’s going to be a typical “Knives Out mystery.”

After seeing the first footage for Monsieur Blanc's latest case, I can confidently say it looks great. Well, that, and we now know when to expect this package of danger and snark on our doorstep.

Wake Up, Dead Man Will Be On Netflix This December

Thanks to an official announcement at tonight’s live Tudum event, we now know that Netflix subscription holders will now be able to stream Wake Up Dead Man: a Knives Out mystery, starting December 12th, 2025. At least, that's what the roman numerals in the teaser indicated to the audience, as no one involved in the extended surprise gag introducing the teaser said the date out loud.

Of course, fans who share Rian Johnson’s thoughts on theatrical releases may have to wait a bit to find out what a potential box office run for Wake Up Dead Man might look like. Personally, I’m a person who shares Daniel Craig’s hopes for a heartier theatrical run for this threequel. On another note, considering that the tone on display is so different, cast member Glenn Close's use of profanity upon helping to introduce the clip is absolutely justified.

Daniel Craig’s Next Case Has Left Me With Holy Dread

Look, Rian Johnson promised a tonal change for the Knives Out mysteries right from the jump. He told fans when Wake Up Dead Man's title announcement dropped, and he wasn't kidding. In this short glimpse of the third entry, things are a bit more serious; and dare I say, it works in mysterious ways?

Benoit Blanc himself describes a case like a kid at Christmas, calling it “the holy grail” for “a man of reason.” So you know it’s serious, even if Daniel Craig’s gentleman detective promises he can solve this case. While I don’t doubt that, the seriously morbid imagery has me wondering what our hero will have to give up this time out?

Or, if the A Haunting in Venice-esque vibes (which one of my colleagues picked up on) are anything, what dark secrets will be revealed in the process? Come to think of it, how is Jeremy Renner in the third Knives Out movie when he was a reference in Glass Onion?

We won’t be able to open those gifts until December 12, when Wake Up Dead Man: a Knives Out mystery hits Netflix! The wait is now a little harder, and this small clip also has me hoping I'll be able to watch this darker Benoit Blanc film on a big screen.

As of late, Rian Johnson has become synonymous with the mystery genre for movie and TV lovers thanks to his Knives Out movies and the Poker Face series having just began its new season to the 2025 TV schedule. But what if Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc and Natasha Lyonne’s Charlie Cale teamed up at some point? Could that happen, please?

Now that Poker Face Season 2 has started over on Peacock, Natasha Lyonne actually brought up the idea herself when she was asked about the idea of Charlie Cale ever making it to the big screen with one of her mysteries. Here’s what she said:

While speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Lyonne shared her million dollar idea, and now I officially need this in my life. This is an especially exciting answer because the Poker Face star is also behind the writing, and serves as executive producer and has helmed a couple episodes of the show.

I’m particularly interested in this because I’m so curious how the two detectives would interact with the other. While Benoit Blanc is more of a straight shooter with a Southern draw, Charlie Cale is a lot more rough around the edges. I think they would definitely butt heads, which would make for a great, unlikely detective duo that's very comedic, and now I need this to happen.

Poker Face returned last week with a more “ridiculous” season and a ton more exciting celebrity guests like John Mulaney, who acts our socks off in his episode, and Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo. Oh, and Daniel Craig is also set to play Benoit Blanc again in the third Knives Out movie, Wake Up, Dead Man. Seeing both of their new cases is only going to make me want this more, I know it.

However, Natasha Lyonne's answer got a little bit wild when she joked that she also wants to get The Pink Panther involved, or at least have the late Henry Mancini score the movie. Which is, of course, impossible unless they use already composed pieces of music. All in all, Lyonne particularly has her eye on doing more roles that can be seen on the big screen. As she continued:

Did you know that Natasha Lyonne is working on an A.I.-assisted movie called Uncanny Valley? Sure, there’s often a negative connotation around A.I. being connected to filmmaking lately, but the movie is about a teen starting to lose her grip on reality due to an augmented reality video game, so I think she’s doing so for a good reason.

It's great to hear Lyonne is down for a Poker Face movie, and crossover with Knives Out, because she could actually help make it happen.

Easily, one of my most anticipated releases on the 2025 movie schedule is the third Knives Out movie, Wake Up Dead Man. I can’t wait to see what Rian Johnson and Daniel Craig have up their sleeves for Benoit Blanc’s next mystery, and I’m dying (pun intended) to know what roles everyone in this staked cast is playing. However, while the characters and their purposes in the story remain unknown, I have a theory about the part Josh O’Connor will play in this new whodunnit thanks to a first-look image.

In one of the first images released from Wake Up Dead Man (which you can see below), we got to see Daniel Craig back as his ever-dapper Benoit Blanc. He’s standing in a church and looking a bit shaggier than usual – which I’d like to know more about. However, more interestingly, Josh O’Connor’s character is standing right behind him, leaning against a pew.

It’s fascinating to me that in this first-look image, we only got to see two actors featured in this truly stacked cast. However, it gave me a theory. I think Josh O’Connor could be playing the central character in this Knives Out mystery who is integral to the murder and taken under Benoit’s wing.

Think about it, in Knives Out cast, Ana de Armas plays the seemingly innocent Marta who is basically attached to Benoit’s hip as he works to solve the case. She was vital in figuring out who killed Harlan, and ultimately, she was the big winner in the story.

When you think about the Glass Onion cast, Janelle Monáe’s character (sorry, spoilers) Andi/Helen had a similar purpose in the story. She is on the island to figure out what happened to her sister, and she and Craig’s detective work together to do just that.

I suspect that if Josh O’Connor is the only supporting actor featured in Wake Up Dead Man’s first image, his character could fall into this place within the mystery. He could be the lynchpin of the story and a fantastic assistant to our favorite Southern detective.

He’d be perfect for the part too! Like both de Armas and Monáe, he can do just about anything, and I expect he’ll have exceptional chemistry with Daniel Craig, as the two actresses did.

After watching O’Connor’s Actors on Actors interview with Craig, I’ve seen how funny they can be together, and I desperately need that to translate on screen in Wake Up Dead Man. I can imagine the Challengers star following the detective around in a confused and silly manner that has the potential to perfectly balance out the seemingly darker mystery – considering the film’s deadly title – Rian Johnson has planned. Honestly, they seem like a match made in actor heaven, and I think it’d be a blast to see them solving a murder together.

Of course, this is simply a theory, and anyone in this cast could serve as the detective’s right-hand witness. And while I don’t know if my dream here will pan out, I know I won’t be disappointed no matter what happens. Rian Johnson and Daniel Craig haven’t failed us with these films, and with a cast that includes O’Connor, Cailee Spaeny, Josh Brolin, Glenn Close, Andrew Scott, Kerry Washington, Jeremy Renner and many more, I’m positive we’re going to be in for one hell of an entertaining mystery.

We still don’t know when Wake Up Dead Man: a Knives Out mystery will be gracing the 2025 movie schedule, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get hyped about the return of Benoit Blanc. It’s pretty easy actually, between reflecting on the stellar Knives Out 3’s cast, and pondering what new witticisms Daniel Craig will get to deliver on screen.

However, I must admit that my enthusiasm is currently centered around Detective Blanc’s fresh look for this Netflix original three-quel. As a new photo from writer/director Rian Johnson’s latest has been released to the eager viewing public, this new round of intrigue continues to cultivate my curiosity. In fact, much as my colleague Eric Eisenberg has pointed out, this is definitely a 2025 theatrical must see.

While the usually bespoke sleuth at the heart of the so-called Knives Out mysteries has been broken in Wake Up Dead Man, I find it to be a hint that we’re not simply seeing “another Benoit Blanc case” this time around. Feel free to form your own opinion, before making sure your Netflix subscription is up to date, courtesy of this latest look at Mr. Craig's new style choices:

Comparing Daniel Craig’s sartorial style throughout his three Benoit Blanc pictures, this look matches Rian Johnson’s comments on Wake Up Dead Man’s tonal difference. As this new entry is being touted as “his most dangerous case yet,” our typically unflappable detective would be quite rattled under such circumstances.

For some reason, that’s the first scenario I thought of when asking what would cause a normally stylish man to let himself get a little rough around the edges. And that's the perfect cue to address a new fear I need to get out of the way before we go, which may or may not have come from my fandom of Daniel Craig' James Bond movies.

If this “dangerous case” involves a funeral in this church-based pot boiler, it better not be linked to Hugh Grant’s Glass Onion cameo in the slightest. Phillip is precious, and must be protected at all costs, Mr. Johnson. I don't care if this statement has somehow increased his chances of perishing in the final edit, it needed to be said.

While the greatest mystery is when we’ll see Wake Up Dead Man: a Knives Out Mystery unveil its release date, there’s at least one question I think I can safely answer. No matter what day or venue this picture is going to use to make its grand entrance, I’m going to be in front of it the first moment it’s humanly possible.

And if anyone at Netflix is reading this, I promise I wouldn't leak a super secret copy of the first trailer, were it to fall into my inbox. I'll also accept any delightful anecdotes of Daniel Craig and Josh O'Connor swapping Luca Guadagnino stories on set, as those would be a delightful substitute.

While Daniel Craig (make sure you’re pronouncing his last name correctly) will arguably always be best known for playing James Bond, over the last half decade, he’s certainly added another memorable character to his repertoire. Craig debuted Southern private investigator Benoit Blanc in 2019’s Knives Out, reprised the role in 2022 for Glass Onion, and will have his third Blanc outing in next year’s Wake Up Dead Man. Though Knives Out was a theatrical release, Glass Onion and Wake Up Dead Man are Netflix subscription-exclusives, which recently prompted Craig to talk about how he wishes they had standard theatrical runs too.

Craig recently sat down with his Wake Up Dead Man costar Josh O’Connor for Variety’s Actors on Actors series, with both men having also worked with director Luca Guadagnino on Queer and Challengers, respectively. When O’Connor asked Craig if it bothers him how these Knives Out movies are “seen,” the latter responded:

nives Out was distributed by Lionsgate and made over $312 million worldwide off a reported $40 million budget, which is definitely a nice chunk of change. However, after its release, Netflix acquired the rights for the next two sequels writer and director Rian Johnson would put together. To give credit where it’s due, Glass Onion did play for one week at the three largest theater chains in the United States (AMC, Regal and Cinemark), which is the first and only time this has happened so far. It’s unclear how much money was raked in during that theatrical run, but it’s a moot point when reading Craig’s comments, as he wishes it and the forthcoming Wake Up Dead Man was getting the same kind of theatrical love as Knives Out did. He continued:

It remains to be seen if Wake Up Dead Man will get the same kind of limited theatrical rollout as Glass Onion did, but I do agree what Daniel Craig said. Yes, it is great that people can watch these movies in the comfort of their own homes, whether they’re by themselves or with family and friends. But the theatrical experience is a special experience, one that can’t be fully replicated at home. Unfortunately, given the way Netflix handles playing its movies on big screens, the chances of any of them playing longer than a week in that format are slim to none.

Daniel Craig and Josh O’Connor will be joined in Wake Up Dead Man by Josh Brolin, Glenn Close, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack and Thomas Haden Church. While we wait for more details about this third installment, feel free to look over the other best movies on Netflix to watch now if you’ve already rewatched Glass Onion recently.

Drew Starkey has developed quite the fanbase because of his role in Outer Banks, and now he’s breaking even bigger by starring alongside Daniel Craig in Luca Guadagnino's Queer. Now, with both Season 4 of OBX airing on the 2024 TV schedule and this new film premiering among 2024’s movie releases, the two worlds have collided. However, this isn’t the first time Outer Banks and Daniel Craig projects have crossed over, and the Rafe actor made a hilarious point about it.

Undoubtedly, the project Drew Starkey is best known for is Outer Banks. So, during an interview with MTV about Queer’s release, he was asked if he clued Daniel Craig into the world of the Pogues seeing as OBX is one of Netflix’s most binge-able shows. He didn’t do that, however, the actor did note that the James Bond performer has worked with another cast member from the series, hilariously explaining:

I must say, I’m very here for this master plan, and I hope Craig’s streak of working with the Outer Banks cast continues!

For a bit of context about all these connections, Drew Starkey, who stars in Queer with Craig plays Rafe Cameron on Outer Banks. In the Netflix series, Starkey's on-screen sister, Sarah Cameron, is played by Madelyn Cline, who was in Glass Onion with the Benoit Blanc performer.

I could totally see actors like Chase Stokes (who is in the above image with Cline and Starkey) or other OBX standouts like Rudy Pankow, Madison Bailey, Jonathan Daviss or Carlacia Grant starring in a film alongside Daniel Craig. I think The Other Zoey actor was onto something with his silly Pokémon connection, and I really hope his Queer co-star gets more than two OBX cards, if you are picking up what I'm putting down.

Obviously, the easiest way for this to happen is for the Outer Banks actors to take the path Cline took, and become part of a cast like Glass Onion. Rian Johnson has a knack for building an ensemble full of massive names and up-and-coming stars, and I could 100% see any of these OBX actors (including Starkey) as part of a Knives Out mystery.

It’s unclear how many more movies like this Johnson and Craig will make. However, considering their latest whodunnit, Wake Up Dead Man, is on the 2025 movie schedule and they’re still thrilled about these stories, I could see them making many more. Therefore, there’s time for the rest of the Outer Banks ensemble to join.

However, maybe they can take the path Starkey took too, and hop on a Daniel Craig project that is a bit smaller and wilder like Queer. The film from Luca Guadagnino follows two men as they fall for each other, and the wild journey they go on after their first meeting. Like the director’s other films, it's steamy, sexy and dramatic, and really shows off Drew Starkey’s talents.

So, there’s a lot of potential for this streak, and as a fan of Outer Banks and all the Daniel Craig movies mentioned here, I hope he continues to work with young actors like Drew Starkey and Madelyn Cline.

To see all the projects mentioned here today, and to witness the beginning of Craig building his collection of collaborations with the OBX cast (hopefully), you can stream Outer Banks and Glass Onion with a Netflix subscription, and you can catch Queer in theaters now.

The 2010s were a transformative decade for movies as directors like Damien Chazelle, Greta Gerwig and Jordan Peele hit the mainstream, and many actors exploded into stardom or gave career-defining performances in movies like theirs. Now, it’s time to celebrate some of the best films of this decade and the performers who starred in them. 

Emma Stone – La La Land 

This ode to Old Hollywood and modern romance from Damien Chazelle is widely beloved in part because of Emma Stone's performance. If you go back to reviews for La La Land, you’ll see Stone and Ryan Gosling praised for their work as they played Mia and Sebastian, two aspiring artists who fall in love with each other. Notably, Emma Stone won her first Oscar for the film because of the wonderful performance she gave as the up-and-coming actress. 

Kristen Wiig – Bridesmaids

When it comes to Bridesmaids and all its hilarious lines and gags, we all need to say a collective thank you to Kristen Wiig. Not only did the Saturday Night Live alum lead the stellar ensemble cast of this 2011 flick, but she also wrote the movie with Annie Mumolo, and they got an Oscar nomination for it. 

Mahershala Ali – Moonlight

Moonlight, which famously won Best Picture in 2017, is a coming-of-age film that follows Chiron through three stages of his life, focusing on him exploring his sexuality and identity. In it, Mahershala Ali plays Juan, a man who has a pivotal role in Chiron’s early life. Famously, Ali won his first Oscar for his moving performance in this film. 

Daniel Kaluuya – Get Out

Get Out is considered one of the greatest horror movies of all time, and it marked the directorial debut of Jordan Peele. While this film about the deeply dark turn a trip takes after a white woman brings her Black boyfriend home to meet her family is career-defining for its director – as he’s gone on to become quite the name in the genre – it also marked a major breakout for Daniel Kaluuya who played the film’s lead, Chris. 

Amy Adams – Arrival 

Arrival is unquestionably one of Amy Adams’ best movies, and to this day, folks are still livid that she wasn’t nominated for an Oscar for it. She plays Louise, a linguist assigned to decipher and translate an alien language. However, as Arrival’s ending makes abundantly clear, there’s way more to it than that, and one of the major reasons this movie works is because of Adams’ masterful, emotional and nuanced performance. 

J.K. Simmons – Whiplash

In Whiplash, one of J.K. Simmons’ best films, he plays a brilliant and brutal jazz conductor and instructor named Terence Fletcher. During the film, Miles Teller plays a young drummer named Andrew who is determined to become great, and his intense relationship with Terence and the notion of being the best is what makes Damien Chazelle’s film magnificent. On top of its overall acclaim, Simmons also won an Oscar for his performance.

Hugh Jackman – Logan 

Logan was Hugh Jackman’s last ride as the Wolverine, and it was basically perfect. While he’s returned to the role since in Deadpool and Wolverine, Logan still serves as a wonderful conclusion to the iconic X-Man’s story. It was also a game-changing Marvel film, as it brought a level of grit and intrigue that we hadn’t really seen in a movie from this universe before. 

Ben Affleck – Argo 

Much like Good Will Hunting, Argo marked a major milestone in Ben Affleck’s career. It was one of the films that solidified him as a top-tier director, and on top of that, he also starred in the film about a CIA agent disguised as a producer who goes into Tehran on a mission to save a group of Americans. Oh, also, the film went on to win Best Picture at the Oscars too. 

Jesse Eisenberg — The Social Network

The Social Network cast is stacked, however, it wouldn’t be what it is without Jesse Eisenberg’s performance as Mark Zuckerberg at its center. His nuanced performance which is somehow both collected and chaotic compliments Aaron Sorkin’s fast-talking script perfectly, and he expertly helped build up tension in the film that director David Fincher is known for. All around, that made for a perfect, heart-pounding drama about the rise of Facebook.

Leonardo DiCaprio – The Wolf Of Wall Street  

While Leonardo DiCaprio has a long list of career-defining performances, and he and Martin Scorsese have made many great movies together, you can’t deny that his portrayal of Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street tops that list. 

Brie Larson – Room

The film Room, which is about a mother and her son escaping captivity, is masterfully led by Brie Larson, who plays Ma. Both she and Jacob Tremblay, who played her son Jack, were praised for their performances, and in 2016, the actress won an Oscar for her work. 

Daniel Craig – Knives Out

Now, I know that Daniel Craig’s tenure as James Bond was still happening in the 2010s. However, an equally important and brilliant role he took on was as detective Benoit Blanc in Rian Johnson’s first whodunnit Knives Out. Now, after leading the cast of Knives Out, Craig has gone on to reprise his role as the Southern detective on multiple occasions, because he loves it and so do we. 

Ryan Gosling – Drive

If you look over Ryan Gosling’s best movies, on one side you’ll find his brilliant comedic films – like Barbie and The Nice Guys – and on the other side, you’ll find his stoic and dramatic performance, like the one he gives in Drive. Put simply, Drive wouldn’t work without the actor’s lead performance, because the entire film hinges on him and his abilities. 

Ryan Reynolds – Deadpool

After years of working to get it made and some well-timed leaked footage, finally, in 2016, Deadpool came out and we got to see Ryan Reynolds in his element as the Merc with a Mouth. 

Casey Affleck – Manchester By The Sea 

In a film about a man returning home to reckon with his past and grief after losing his brother, Casey Affleck gives an emotional and commanding performance. Not only did he win an Oscar for his work in this drama, but it’s also one of the big defining roles of his career. 

Chris Evans – Captain America: The Winter Soldier 

Chris Evans began and ended his tenure as Steve Rogers in the 2010s. While all his outings as the star-spangled man with a plan were excellent, nothing tops his performance as Cap in the political thriller that is the Russo brothers’ Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which is easily one of the best Marvel movies ever made. 

Ralph Fiennes – The Grand Budapest Hotel 

Under Wes Anderson’s precise direction, Ralph Fiennes occupied the pastel world of the Grand Budapest Hotel with grace and style. His fast-talking M. Gustave went on quite the adventure in this film, and he won over the hearts of audiences with his quick wit, smooth charm and impeccable work ethic. 

Natalie Portman – Black Swan 

Throwing it back to the beginning of the decade, Darren Aronofsky’s 2010 psychological thriller Black Swan showed us Natalie Portman’s talents in a new light. While she had been on the scene and in big movies for years, this film marked a major milestone in her career as her performance as a tortured ballerina got her an Academy Award. 

Matthew McConaughey – Dallas Buys Club

Obviously, for a couple of decades before this, Matthew McConaughey was known and beloved for fun movies like Dazed and Confused and How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days. However, in 2013, Dallas Buyers Club marked a notable shift in his career. Not only did he win an Oscar for this dramatic turn as a man who finds out he has AIDS, but he also went on to star in acclaimed projects like Interstellar and True Detective one year later, cementing himself as a magnificent dramatic actor with serious range. 

Jennifer Lawrence – Silver Linings Playbook

Yes, Jennifer Lawrence leading The Hunger Games cast is one of the biggest triumphs of her career. However, amid all of that, she starred in the beloved dramedy Silver Linings Playbook with Bradley Cooper, and that’s the film for which she won her Oscar. This magnificent film about two people learning to live and thrive through grief and mental illness, is a thoughtful and funny film that Lawrence steals with her amazing performance. 

Brad Pitt – Moneyball 

Moneyball is the story about the general manager of the Oakland A’s using his business savvy and what little money his team had to assemble a rag-tag team of MLB players. Brad Pitt plays said manager, Billy Beane, and I mean it when I say the movie really wouldn’t work without him. He’s at the center of it, and he carries it to victory just like his character did with the A’s.  

Chadwick Boseman – Black Panther 

We sadly lost Chadwick Boseman way too early, however, his legacy will live on forever. This is in part because of his performance as the King of Wakanda, T’Challa. Black Panther was a historic moment in modern movie history, and his incredible take on the titular hero is a big reason why. 

Margot Robbie – I, Tonya 

Before I, Tonya, Margot Robbie was beloved for her supporting and ensemble roles in films like The Wolf of Wall Street and Suicide Squad. However, one of the movies that helped solidify her as both a leading lady and super producer was I, Tonya. She played Tonya Harding and produced the film under the banner of her company LuckyChap – which went on to make films like Barbie and Promising Young Woman. 

Florence Pugh – Midsommar

Florence Pugh exploded onto the scene with the haunting Ari Aster film Midsommar. The movie is now considered one of the best horror movies of all time, and a big reason why is Pugh’s performance. 

Saoirse Ronan – Lady Bird

Talk about a dynamic duo. Greta Gerwig and Saoirse Ronan are a match made in heaven, and that was solidified into fact when the actress played the titular Lady Bird in the director’s breakout film. Not only did fans fall in love with Ronan’s performance as the defiant teenage gal, but she also received wide acclaim and an Oscar nomination for it. Plus, it was the beginning of a glorious partnership between her and Greta Gerwig as they then went on to make Little Women together. 

Timothée Chalamet – Call Me By Your Name

These days, when people think of Timothée Chalamet, they likely think of him as Paul Atreides, the leader of the Dune cast. However, before that (and in a different decade) the film that sprung him into the mainstream was Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me By Your Name. The deeply romantic and tender coming-of-age drama was led beautifully by Chalamet, and since then he’s taken on more roles that have helped cement him as one of the top-leading men of his generation. 

Anna Kendrick – Pitch Perfect

If you were a kid in 2012 (like I was), odds are you learned the “Cups” song. The movie about college acapella was a phenomenon in the early 2010s, and it served as a big breakout leading role for Anna Kendrick. Not only was she funny as Becca, but everyone also became aware that she had the singing voice of an angel.  

Lupita Nyong’o – 12 Years A Slave

Lupita Nyong’o’s first feature film was 12 Years A Slave. Her performance in the movie by Steve McQueen won her an Oscar in 2012 and solidified her as a top-tier dramatic performer. Since then, she’s gone on to star in massive blockbusters like Black Panther and A Quiet Place: Day One. 

Joaquin Phoenix – Joker

There have been many amazing takes on the Joker, and Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck was a totally new one. In Joker, we see the villain’s origin story, and it’s a film that’s unlike any other DC project. The haunting performance ultimately won the actor an Oscar, and he reprised the part again in Joker: Folie à Deux.

Charlize Theron – Mad Max: Fury Road

The movie is named after Mad Max, and he’s great, don’t get me wrong, but Furiosa steals the show. Charlize Theron’s performance as the driver in Mad Max: Fury Road is fierce and jaw-dropping, and she’s one of many reasons why George Miller’s movie is considered one of the best action films. 

Michael Cera – Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

You can’t have Scott Pilgrim vs. The World without a perfect Scott Pilgrim and that’s who Michael Cera is. He perfectly played the awkward yet heroic protagonist in Edgar Wright’s beloved film, and to this day, it's considered some of his best work.

Matt Damon – The Martian

This Ridley Scott movie is literally about one man who is stuck on Mars. Yes, there are other people in the film trying to save him. However, overall, The Martian is Matt Damon’s movie. He plays the stranded astronaut and scientist, and the heart, charisma, intelligence and even humor he brings to the space drama is unforgettable. 

All around, the 2010s were full of films that are on their way to becoming all-time classics, and it’s in part thanks to the brilliant actors who starred in them. 

Joseph Gordon-Levitt may have just finished working with Eddie Murphy on Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F., but we already have our sights set on what’s next, and I’m personally hoping that it’s Knives Out 3. The third film in Rian Johnson’s Benoit Blanc series feature the return of Daniel Craig as the Cajun sleuth, and if history repeats itself, Joseph Gordon-Levitt will make a cameo appearance as he did in both 2019’s Knives Out and 2022’s Glass Onion. But what are the chances that Gordon-Levitt could appear in a starring capacity instead of just a small part? I had to find out. 

While at the press junket for Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F., I asked Joseph Gordon-Levitt if he’ll have a role beyond a simple cameo in Knives Out 3, officially titled Wake Up Deadman: A Knives Out Mystery, and he told me,

We had to expect that he would dodge such a question, but we were curious how he would dodge it. It seems that he and Rian Johnson are still good friends that have a great deal of respect for one another, and more importantly, Gordon-Levitt didn’t say “no.” So at least there’s that. Thus, my hope is still alive, and I am satisfied with “I don’t know” for now.

This response came after I opened up to Joseph Gordon-Levitt about my love for Rian Johnson’s first film Brick, a neo-noir indie flick that stars Gordon-Levitt as Brendan, a moody outsider who finds himself tied up in the drama of a high school drug ring. Not only is the film one of the best Joseph Gordon-Levitt movies, but it’s also in the best of modern film noir, and it was a career-launcher for Rian Johnson. 

The movie's critical success led to the filmmaker creating The Brothers Bloom, Looper, Star Wars: The Last Jedi and eventually the Knives Out series (and let's not forget the Peacock mystery show Poker Face). At the time Brick got made, Gordon-Levitt was doing a lot of indie films, and one could argue that it was a project that helped pave the way for his mainstream success in recent years. No wonder he went on to say that Brick is “really important to me” during our interview, which you can see in the video at the top of this article.

But it’s not just Brick and Knives Out that features Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as the actor has made an appearance in every single Rian Johnson project – ranging from cameos to top billing. You’ll remember his famously Bruce Willis-y makeup for Looper, you may have heard his voice in The Last Jedi, he voiced the "Hourly Dong" in Glass Onion, and he even took on a front-and-center villainous role in the penultimate episode of Poker Face Season 1. It’s safe to assume that Joseph Gordon-Levitt will be in Wake Up Deadman in some capacity, as there’s no way they’ll break their streak now. We’ll just have to wait and see how large said role will be. 

Given the large, ensemble casts of the first two Knives Out films, there’s been a lot of speculation surrounding who will be appearing in Wake Up Deadman. Based on what we know so far, the cast is looking to be pretty epic. Jeremy Renner is on board after being referenced in Glass Onion (thus, he’ll potentially be playing himself), and he’ll be joined by the likes of Josh Brolin, Cailee Spaeny, Glenn Close and many more. Given that Tom Hardy’s name is still being thrown around as potential casting, it seems they’re nowhere near done filling up the call sheet, and we’ll keep you updated if there’s any more information on Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s potential return to the Rian Johnson-verse.  

While Wake Up Deadman is still in pre-production, you can see Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. on Netflix July 3. Based on what we know about the film, it’s easy to assume we’re in store for a delightful romp. Keep it here at CinemaBlend for news on everything else coming our way on the 2024 movie release schedule. 

Rian Johnson's Knives Out was a massive hit, which inspired it to grow into a full franchise. Both the original and the Glass Onion's cast list were star-studded, and fans are eager to see what ensemble the filmmaker assembles for the threequel Wake Up Dead Man. There are some rumors swirling around about the Knives Out 3 cast, and Tom Hardy recently responded to chatter that he's in the movie.

What we know about Knives Out 3 is limited, but the movie's casting announcements have definitely been thrilling. Filming for Wake Up Dead Man has started, so fans are hoping that an official cast list is released sooner rather than later. Tom Hardy recently spoke to ET Online about the rumors he's in the upcoming whodunnit, he said:

There you have it. While he tried to keep the mystery alive in his final comment, it certainly sounds like the Venom star won't have a major role in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. Although it sounds like he would be open to appearing if he actually did get the call from Johnson and company.

A big appeal of Knives Out and its sequel Glass Onion (which is streaming with a Netflix subscription) is that stellar casts that Rian Johnson assembles for each movie. The forthcoming threequel is no exception, with confirmed names including Daniel Craig's return as Benoit Blanc, along with Josh Brolin, Glenn Close, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, and more. 

Given the title of Wake Up Dead Man, some fans are also theorizing that the third Knives Out movie might be Daniel Craig's last. This is just one possibility at this point, and shows how much fan anticipation is behind the mystery franchise as a whole. That includes rumors about both its cast and its plot. 

As a director, Rian Johnson has been wholly focused on the Knives Out franchise, in addition to the TV series Poker Face (which is streaming with a Peacock subscription).  And as such, his upcoming Star Wars movie has been put on the back burner. Although Johnson does seem like he's still interested.

While Tom Hardy seemingly isn't filming Glass Onion 3, he's got his own threequel coming to theaters shortly. He'll once again reprise his role as Eddie Brock in Venom: The Last Dance, which is expected to be his final bow as the character. But who knows? Maybe he'll end up with a cameo in Rian Johnson's whodunnit after all.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is expected to be released sometime in 2025. In the meantime, check the 2025 movie release dates.

Fans have been eagerly waiting for news on Knives Out 3 since the release of the second film in the franchise, Glass Onion. Well, the powers that be have been good to us as of late, as various updates have been dropping. More specifically, it’s now known that the threequel is officially titled Wake Up Dead Man. Casting reports have also been pouring in, with Jeremy Renner and Kerry Washington among those who’ve been tapped for roles. Now, it’s been revealed that another Marvel alum is joining Renner in the film, and I hope they have the same kind of hero/villain dynamic in this production. 

Writer/director Rian Johnson really knows how to put together an ensemble and, thus far, he really seems to be outdoing himself for the latest chapter centered around Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc. Well, Johnson just tapped another major actor in the form of Oscar nominee Josh Brolin, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Unsurprisingly, details on Brolin’s role have yet to be revealed as is also the case with the overall plot. Still, this is an exciting bit of news and a sweet pick-up for Johnson and co. 

Josh Brolin has played a variety of roles throughout his illustrious career, most recently reprising his role as Gurney Halleck in Dune: Part Two and returning as Royal Abbott on Outer Range Season 2. Of course, plenty of people probably know him best for his role as the Mad Titan Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As part of that massive franchise, he was a co-star of Jeremy Renner, who notably played Clint Barton/Hawkeye. So the two played characters on opposing sides of a conflict, and it’d be great to see them be in similar spaces in their latest film. 

The idea of one playing a nice guy and the other playing an antagonist is quite delicious, regardless of whoever would fit into the respective roles. What might be particularly fun, though, would be to see the Thanos actor play someone a bit more noble and his former co-star portray an antagonist. Either way, I’m really hoping that these two have plenty of screen and that Rian Johnson uses them to the best of their abilities. 

My hope in that regard also extends to the rest of the film’s star-studded cast. The first two actors to be officially linked to the film were Cailee Spaeny, of Civil War and Priscilla fame, and Josh O’Conner, who’s just coming off the success of Challengers. Joining the young talent are seasoned pros Andrew Scott, Kerry Washington, Mila Kunis and Glenn Close had also been cast. Also tapped for a role is Daryl McCormack of Good Luck to You, Leo Grande and the upcoming Twisters.

Jeremy Renner’s casting is particularly interesting, given the fact that a joke was made about the actor himself in Glass Onion. With that, a number of fans argued that Renner could only play himself in this next film. Upon seeing those comments though, the actor dropped an A+ response. In general, since it was confirmed in January that the movie would film this year, fans began dreaming up casts. That’s only increased since the title was revealed, and they became so prevalent that the official social media account for the film called out viewers for their “unhinged casting” ideas, which were also brilliant in some respects. 

I’m incredibly excited to see how this talented ensemble comes together in this latest mystery from the mind of Rian Johnson. What I’ll be wishing for from this point on as well is that Jeremy Renner and Josh Brolin’s two characters come to blows at some point during the likely humorous and twist-filled proceedings. 

Wake Up Dead Mean: A Knives Out Mystery is set to be released sometime in 2025. While you wait for it to arrive, check out Glass Onion using a Netflix subscription, and read up on upcoming releases on the 2024 movie schedule.

These last few weeks have been exciting for Knives Out fans. The title of the threequel film, Wake Up Dead Man, was recently announced, and people are already trying to speculate what the title could mean for the Benoit Blanc story. There has also been quite a bit of casting news, with stars like Andrew Scott, Josh O’Connor, and Kerry Washington joining Knives Out 3. The cast seems to be getting bigger each day, and casting news yesterday saw Jeremy Renner added to the ensemble. This is an interesting addition too, considering he was a noteable name-drop in Glass Onion. 

Just last week Happy, Sad, Confused podcast host Josh Horowitz asked Renner about his shout-out in Glass Onion and how it came to be. For context, at the end of the murder mystery sequel, Helen (played by Janelle Monáe) fakes her own death using Jeremy Renner-branded hot sauce. The actor explained that he thought the joke was hilarious and even thought about releasing actual hot sauces to help promote the film. This never came to fruition but it was a fun idea. You can see the interview clip below: 

What makes this whole thing even better is when Horowitz says that Renner can never be in a Knives Out movie because he technically exists within the universe. The Avengers alum keeps a great poker face, assuming he knew about his casting at this point, laughing the whole thing off, and even agreeing with the interviewer. Kudos to Renner, for doing a great job navigating the subject and not spoiling any big casting news. 

With this context, however, it does make me wonder how they will balance this Glass Onion reference in the next film. 

They could just completely ignore the irony, not acknowledging the hot sauce moment in Wake Up Dead Man, leaving it as just a fun joke in Glass Onion. Renner also could also play himself, with the hot sauce lore being integral to the plot in Wake Up Dead Man. 

There is also potential in playing around with a twin plotline again, which was a big part of Glass Onion. Jeremy Renner could be playing a Renner brother, who is the actual mastermind behind the hot sauce empire. As goofy as it sounds, if anyone could make it work, it’s Rian Johnson and the Knives Out team. 

We will have to wait and see how this Jeremy Renner situation plays out, considering  Wake Up Dead Man won't be released until 2025. However, it seems like updated information about Knives Out 3 is being released every day, giving fans plenty to be excited about as we wait for another murder mystery. 

The first two films were an absolute blast, even resulting in Oscar nominations and viewership success for both. They were instant crowd-pleasers, and my fingers are crossed that Wake Up Dead Man lives up to the hype. With stars like Jeremy Renner in the mix, it's hard to go wrong. 

While you wait for Wake Up Dead Man to become available for Netflix subscribers, fans can revisit Glass Onion now, as it is currently available on the streamer. For more information on other exciting films landing on the service in the near future, make sure to consult our upcoming Netflix projects guide. 

We officially know that Knives Out 3 is titled Wake Up Dead Man. Obviously, we also know Daniel Craig will be returning as the beloved detective Benoit Blanc and that Rian Johnson is writing and directing the film. However, we have no idea who will make up the cast of their third whodunnit. Considering the legendary cast of Knives Out and the incredible ensemble of Glass Onion, we’re 100% in for a treat. However, while we wait for official casting news, fans are proposing their own dream ensembles, and the movie called them out for being “unhinged.”

Following the Wake Up Dead Man news, fans went crazy on social media sharing their ideal ensembles. So, the film’s official X account posted this:

While unhinged is a fitting adjective for these suggestions, they’re also kind of genius, and I think Rian Johnson should be taking notes as we wait to learn more about Knives Out 3.  

For example, he should really acknowledge Super Yaki's dream cast, which included Willem Dafoe, Regina Hall, Jack Black, and yes, The Muppets. For a while now, dream Knives Out 3 casts have included The Muppets, and I for one, am here for it. @TheHorizoneer is also here for the beloved puppets being part of the mystery as they posted a photo of them with the caption:

Unhinged? Yes, of course. But also, I could 100% see it. 

Other folks chose their casts based on ensembles they just really wanted to see together again. And I gotta say, these are inspired:

• @bigmonkeong wants Ryan Gosling, Russell Crowe, Angourie Rice and Margaret Qualley, AKA the cast of The Nice Guys.
• @_anandamonae wants to reunite the cast of the live-action Scooby-Doo, and who wouldn’t want to see Matthew Lillard, Linda Cardellini, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. together again?

Some fans had very specific casting in mind. Not only do they know who they want in the movie, but they also know what roles they’d play. 

Personally, I’m kind of hoping @faistclub’s wild idea to cast two of the biggest up-and-coming names as rich siblings ends up in one of Rian Johnson’s whodunnits:

Meanwhile, @colormejorge had a brilliant idea to have Meryl Streep play Benoit’s mother. One of the iconic Glass Onion cameos was Hugh Grant playing Daniel Craig’s character’s partner, and I’d love to meet more of the detective’s loved ones. We know The Devil Wears Prada star thrives in a mystery, because she killed it in Only Murders in the Building and is coming back for another season, so let’s get her involved in another silly whodunnit. 

While all this might be a bit unhinged, it’s also genius and not impossible by any means. Rian Johnson and his team have managed to defy casting expectations in both Knives Out mysteries by casting massive A-listers – like Jamie Lee Curtis, Chris Evans, Dave Bautista and Kate Hudson – and rising stars – like LaKeith Stanfield, Ana de Armas and Madelyn Cline. I expect Wake Up Dead Man to have an equally impressive and unexpected cast. 

However, while we wait for official news on that front, I’ll be enjoying these “unhinged” ideas and rewatching Glass Onion with a Netflix subscription. 

Oh what a time for fans of Rian Johnson. The recent master of the Benoit Blanc/Knives Out whodunnit franchise took to social media with a rather interesting post that almost looked like he was teasing a surprise Nintendo project. But while we were all debating what it meant, Johnson then dropped something that could potentially mean the end of Daniel Craig’s gentleman detective: the title to Knives Out 3.

Knives Out 3 Has A Really Deadly Title

The next Benoit Blanc mystery has a title, and it makes for quite a mourning. Touted as his “most dangerous case,” Wake Up Dead Man already looks and sounds like a stone cold thriller. Per a social media post that quickly followed an egg based Nintendo image, Rian Johnson broke the news with a quick little tease. 

Using a clever Craig voiced tease that recounted titles of mysteries past, the video below gave us our first clues towards the road ahead. Take a look, and a listen, below: 

Oh, we definitely need to talk this out; starting with the fact that this latest musical reference is from the U2 catalog. The ever clever director behind Star Wars: The Last Jedi has once again pulled inspiration from the realm of songs. Knowing that, we can avoid the mix ups that Johnson saw when assuming Glass Onion’s Beatles reference was common knowledge.

However, another crucial piece of information came in, between that Nintendo themed tweet and the title reveal. And seeing what Rian Johnson has to say below definitely gives away that game: 

Oh. Oh wow. So the reason that Wake Up Dead Man may sound as foreboding as it does is because we just might be getting a gravely serious outing. Which would feel like a return to Rian Johnson's cinematic roots, as the hard boiled thriller Brick marked the writer/director's arrival at the movies.

That means two things: now's the perfect time to bring Joseph Gordon Levitt's Brendan back into play, and there’s a chance that Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc may not make it out alive. The latter point is especially solvent as the future of the Knives Out franchise is hitting a rather interesting juncture in its lifespan.

Why Wake Up Dead Man Could Be An End To The Knives Out Saga

Back in 2021, Netflix’s Knives Out deal made a pretty huge splash, as the streaming giant secured the immediate sequels to Rian Johnson’s Lionsgate based hit for $450 million. However, that deal was made for only two sequels, and Wake Up Dead Man would mark the end of the current obligation. Which is why I said that this three-quel could be an end for Benoit Blanc.

No one can tell how long the Knives Out mysteries will run, as both Rian Johnson and Daniel Craig are busy men who have other projects they probably want to pursue. So by time Wake Up Dead Man hits screens, the band may want to take a break, if not break up altogether. In either event, a new studio home might be in the works, which would also add some time between installments.

Knowing how macabrely funny Mr. Johnson has been with these films, it wouldn’t be that shocking if this third Knives Out movie ends in a hilariously deadly cliffhanger. That way, the question of whether or not we'll see another chapter in this mystery series becomes even more of a subject of discussion. 

That being said, a tonal change could mean this potential trilogy capper could be a more tragic turn for Benoit. Which, while amping up the mysterious future even more, would be yet another No Time To Die style closer. If it worked for Sherlock Holmes and James Bond, it would certainly work out for Benoit Blanc; humorous punch or not.

Relax dear readers, as I'm not here to bury Benoit Blanc, but to praise him and hope that he keeps returning. And to that effect, I must warn you that Wake Up Dead Man won't be arriving in the graveyard until 2025.

In the meantime you can check out the rundown of 2024 Netflix movie and TV release dates and see the near future holds. And, of course, with a Netflix subscription, you can revisit Glass Onion: a Knives Out mystery, in all of its layers of mystery.

Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Edward Norton, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kate Hudson, LaKeith Stanfield, Madelyn Cline, Ana de Armas, Dave Bautista – all those folks have appeared in a Knives Out mystery by Rian Johnson, and that’s not even scratching the surface of the A+ Knives Out cast and Glass Onion ensemble. Well, now that we know a third installment in Benoit Blanc’s whodunnit series will go into production soon, fans are throwing all their casting ideas on social media. And I sure hope the writer/director is taking notes, because these are brilliant. 

Knives Out 3 is set to go into production later this year, meaning we’ll likely find out who will make up its cast soon-ish. Between Rian Johnson’s first two films starring Daniel Craig’s detective Benoit Blanc and his Natasha Lyonne-led series Poker Face, he’s proven over and over again that he knows how to assemble an epic cast. Therefore, fans are expecting a list of greats to make up the ensemble of the third Knives Out mystery, and they have some brilliant ideas, like @tedsbecca who is campaigning for James Marsden:

James Marsden – who received an Emmy nomination for Jury Duty – is such a fabulous actor who is genuinely hilarious, and I think he’d fit in perfectly to this wacky world of mystery.

Sticking to the world of comedy, @ZoeRoseBryant called out an actress that I think many would love to see in a Rian Johnson whodunnit, posting:

The Knives Out movies always feature extremely talented up-and-coming actors – like Ana de Armas and Madelyn Cline. Considering Edebiri’s background in comedy as well as her recent rise because of her work on The Bear, audiences would be thrilled to see her in one of these movies, myself included. 

Meanwhile, @CoyJandreau was looking back at other iconic mystery movies for his dream cast. Considering we sadly might never get a Nice Guys sequel, I’m 100% on board with him fan-casting Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe in Knives Out 3:

When it comes to @heyitsjennalynn’s take, she noted that she’s willing to die on the hill of getting 2023 Oscar-winner Ke Huy Quan into the threequel, and I would die on that hill too:

There were also some fun unconventional picks for Knives Out 3 ensemble members. However, considering Stephen Sondheim and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar made cameos at the same time in Glass Onion, nothing is impossible. So, @hpeeryhorton, I hope your dream comes true:

People really have some brilliant and unique ideas for the Knives Out 3 cast, and I’m so here for them. Along with the fun ones highlighted above, here are a few more fun requests for the Oscar-nominated writer:

• Zendaya , Sarah Drew, Sofia Vergara ans Viola Davis. i mean....The power!! -@BellamyKeppner 
• Funny Adam Driver would be top tier -@eva_kirby21 
• here’s how I get Pedro [Pascal] and Kieran [Culkin] in a movie together, walk with me here -@sottgoods 
• Aubrey Plaza and Jenna Ortega! They would be amazing together. 🤣 -@imtiffanyblair 
• Jennifer Lawrence would be PERFECT in a film like this -@_Syncopy_ 
• I'm here to spread the Sam Rockwell for Knives Out 3 agenda again -@NeonTravesty 

Really, the possibilities are endless, and I can’t wait to see the cast Rian Johnson assembles for his next Knives Out mystery.

It seems highly unlikely that the third Benoit Blanc whodunnit will premiere on the 2024 movie schedule since reports say it will go into production toward the end of this year. However, I suspect that we’ll learn about who ends up in the film as it starts to shoot, and hopefully, some of the names mentioned above will be part of it. 

When it comes to movies that involve family gatherings of any kind, whether it be while some family members are traveling together, getting together for the holidays, or some other event, it can only be a matter of time before something goes wrong. Usually, it's because of one person that begins a cascading effect that turns said family gathering upside down. 

Today, we'll be looking at several characters from different movies that caused a family event to get messed up quite quickly.

When Violet Insults Everyone (August: Osage County)

August: Osage County is based on the play of the same name and is all about a family reunion that turns out wrong. While there are plenty of moments that you could pinpoint from this movie that turn the family gathering sour after their patriarch vanishes, I would point out that Violet insults and embarrasses every family member while under the influence, which later leads to several fights down the line. 

When Christian Made Jokes At Helge's Birthday Dinner (The Celebration)

The Celebration is a Danish film about a family gathering to celebrate their father's 60th birthday, but most of these people do not fit well together. The moment from this film I'd point out is when Christian, the eldest son of the family, decides to make jokes during his toast to his father, some of which involve abuse, and many aren't sure if they're really jokes or not. Tensions rise not that long after. 

Kym And Rachel's Fight At The Rehearsal Dinner (Rachel Getting Married)

Rachel Getting Married is an excellent Anne Hathaway movie where movie lovers get to see her perform so well, and her scene with Rosemarie DeWitt is one of the most heated fight scenes I've seen between sisters. The film follows Kym and her sister, Rachel, who have a deep rift between them due to Kym's self-destructive behavior, which comes to a head at the rehearsal dinner – and later leads to more issues for their family's wedding. 

Dan And Marie's Kiss - Prior To Dan's Family Appearing (Dan In Real Life)

Dan and Marie's kiss in Dan in Real Life is arguably the moment that escalated the quickest. While viewers can see the building tension between Dan and Marie, when they finally kiss, all hell breaks loose when Dan's entire family arrives to bowl at the same bowling alley they were at, and Mitch (Marie's boyfriend and Dan's brother) punches Dan. 

Buzz Bullying Kevin - Which Leads To Kevin Pushing Buzz (Home Alone)

Home Alone is one of the best Christmas movies of all time, but it never would have started if not for this moment. When Kevin and his family are in the kitchen eating pizza the night before a big trip, Buzz bullies Kevin, saying he ate all of Kevin's pizza. Kevin pushes him, which leads to drinks spilling on food, the plane tickets, and so much more. 

Kevin Hitting Buzz After He Teases Him During A School Concert (Home Alone 2: Lost In New York)

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York features Buzz and Kevin in the same school choir – which is strange, considering Buzz seems considerably older than Kevin. Either way, Buzz teases Kevin mid-concert, and Kevin doesn't put up with it and decides to push Buzz down – which starts a domino effect and knocks every choir member off the stands. 

The Entirety Of Death At A Funeral 

Death at a Funeral doesn't just have a moment that ruins a family event – it is the moment—the entire movie. From the opening minutes, there are so many instances that ruin this family gathering, but if I had to pick one, I'd say the moment a literal body falls out of the coffin, and everyone freaks out about it. 

Annie's Tantrum At The Bridal Shower (Bridesmaids)

Bridesmaids is one of the best Paul Feig movies and is hilarious in many ways. Annie, played by Kristen Wiig, has been getting pretty upset throughout the film with Helen continuously upstaging her in preparing for Lillian's wedding, and the luxurious bridal shower is the straw that breaks the camel's back. Lillian ends their friendship afterward – for the time being. The movie still works so many years later.

When Jacob And Hannah Show Up At The Family Gathering (Crazy, Stupid Love)

Crazy, Stupid, Love is a great film showing how small the world can be sometimes. The moment when Jacob and Hannah arrive at a family gathering, and Cal realizes that Jacob (the person helping him try to pick up women) is dating his daughter, is hilarious. And from there, it all goes downhill in a comical fashion. 

When The Brothers Fight On The Train (The Darjeeling Limited)

I've watched every Wes Anderson movie, and The Darjeeling Limited surprised me with how much I liked it, mainly because of the three brothers. Throughout the film, the tension rises between them as they travel until it ultimately breaks into a fight on a train. This, in turn, leads to them getting thrown off. 

When Paige Tells Her Family She Doesn't Want To Wrestle Anymore (Fighting With My Family)

Fighting With My Family is another underrated movie on this list, featuring Florence Pugh in a significant role. In this film, we mainly follow a family of wrestlers, and one of them, Paige, decides to quit because she doesn't think the professional career is worth it. She decides to tell them this during a family dinner – and later, it leads to her older brother, Zak, facing her in the ring to fight her for that, causing more tensions to rise. 

Micky And Dicky's Spar (The Fighter)

Starring Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale, The Fighter is all about fighting, but the one moment I point to is when Micky and Dicky, the prominent brothers we follow in the film, fight. It's an arranged match, but it's brutal and leads to a fight between Micky and his mother, saying that she always favored Dicky over him. 

Uncle Lewis Burns Down The Christmas Tree (National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation)

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is another one of the best Christmas movies out there, and there are plenty of moments during that film I could point to that lead to family events turning disastrous. But I think the one we need to talk about is when Uncle Lewis accidentally burns down their Christmas tree – but I'll say the cat getting electrocuted is a good runner-up. 

Harlan's Death (Knives Out)

Knives Out is another film that's all about a family gathering, but this time, murder is involved. What starts this movie is Harlan's death, the patriarch of the family, which is the moment that sends this family gathering into a tailspin – and introduces folks to the excellent Benoit Blanc. 

Geun-sae Stabs Ki-jung (Parasite)

Parasite won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2020, and it's understandable as to why. This moment occurs at the movie's end, when a family birthday party occurs. But at that moment, Geun-sae can leave the confines of the family's basement, and he stabs Ki-jung in front of everyone. This leads to panic – and more murder later on. 

The Fight At The Dinner Table (The Incredibles)

If you want to talk about the best Pixar films, The Incredibles ranks high, if not just for the family dynamic. While their dinner together isn't necessarily an "event," it's a gathering that establishes how the family works. This dinner goes downhill fast when they discuss Dash's powers at school – this, in turn, leads to a massive fight down the line where superpowers need to be used to calm people down. 

When The Family Members Get Into A Fight About Money (Nebraska)

Filmed in black-and-white, Nebraska is the classic tale of what money will do to people when an elderly Montana man wins the lottery, and his family all want a piece of it. The film is slow to elevate its conflict, but once it gets there, it continues. The moment that really sets everything in motion is when several family members decide to pay Woody a visit because they believe he owes them money. 

Krisha Arriving For Thanksgiving (Krisha)

Krisha is an example of a film where the main character really sends everything topsy-turvy. Played by Krisha Fairchild, the movie tells the story of a woman who tries to make amends with her family after years of addiction. Still, when she arrives for Thanksgiving Day, everything begins to trend downhill. 

Dwayne Snapping At His Family (Little Miss Sunshine)

Little Miss Sunshine is a tragic movie about a family gathering in a van for a road trip to get across the country for a beauty pageant. Many moments in this film could make the list. However, Dwayne snapping at his family after everything they had been through on this trip (including the death of a family member) and screaming about how he hates them is undoubtedly one that causes the mood to shift dramatically and stands at the top.

Billi's Disagreement (The Farewell)

The Farewell is one to watch if you like Awkwafina, featuring one of her best acting performances. In this, her character, Billi, is the person who messes up a lot of what is going on specifically because she does not believe that what they are doing to Na-Na (hiding her illness from her) is correct. This leads to clashing with family. 

Eli Crashes His Car Into The House (The Royal Tenenbaums)

Plenty of moments in The Royal Tenenbaums could appear on this list since they are an exciting family. Still, we'd have to give it to the moment that Eli crashes his car into a house while under the influence, which leads to not only a dog getting killed but fights later on. 

Junon's Diagnosis, Which Leads To People Not Wanting To Take Blood Tests (A Christmas Tale)

A Christmas Tale is about a gathering during Christmas that turns sour when the matriarch reveals that she has blood cancer and will die unless she is given a bone marrow transplant. So, when she brings this up to her family, it causes turmoil very quickly, with secrets coming out not that long after about how they really feel about her, as well as this family unit.

Daniel Switching In And Out Of Mrs. Doubfire During The Dinner (Mrs. Doubtfire)

Mrs. Doubtfire is one of Robin Williams' best movies. While it's hilarious to see him switch out of character as Mrs. Doubtfire, it's during the family birthday dinner that everything really goes downhill. Running back and forth causes strain on his disguise, and it melts off, revealing who is genuinely underneath the kind nanny's face. Miranda is outraged. 

Miguel Begins To Play Guitar (Coco)

Coco is one of my favorite Pixar movies, but no one can deny that this moment is truly what sent Miguel searching for a guitar and sending him to the other side. His playing of the guitar in front of his family, who had strictly banned music, led to his abuelita getting incredibly angry and smashing his guitar. El Día de los Muertos was effectively ruined after that. 

Merida Shooting For Her Own Hand (Brave)

Brave doesn’t get enough love, and Merida is a great princess because she stands for what she believes in. But she does ruin these games when she decides to fight for her own hand in marriage – and knocks it out of the park with her archery skills. But in her mother's eyes, she shamed the family at that moment, which led to tensions rising. 

Ember's Fiery Outburst, Which Ruins The Yearly Sale On Her Family's Store (Elemental)

Ember from the Pixar film Elemental has a temper that is an integral part of her story, and in the beginning of the film, her getting overwhelmed by customers at her family's annual sale is what leads to her letting her fiery temper out in the basement, away from everyone. But it's this moment that leads to the pipes bursting – and later meeting Wade, but she did end up messing up the sale and the store. 

Ralphie Curses (A Christmas Story)

I'm pretty sure every person who has seen A Christmas Story remembers this moment. The family of the iconic Christmas movie just got back from getting a tree, but when Ralphie goes out to help his father when the car blows a tire and he lets an F-bomb slip, the mood is ruined, and he is punished with soap in his mouth.

Nic Finds Traces Of Jule's Hair In Paul's Bedroom (The Kids Are All Right)

The Kids Are All Right is a great film that tells the story of two families colliding when a child wants to find their biological father after being conceived using a sperm donor. But when an affair begins, and Nic (Annette Bening) finds out about it from discovering Jule's (Julianne Moore) hair (her wife) in Paul's (Mark Ruffalo) bedroom, it leads to tensions rising and any nice dinner turning sour. 

Wendy Forces Judd To Tell The Truth About His Wife's Affair (This Is Where I Leave You)

This Is Where I Leave You is a film directed by Shawn Levy about a family gathering where siblings come back together when their father passes and are forced to reside in the same home. It's during a family gathering that Wendy forces her brother to admit that an affair is happening with his wife and then everything goes downhill from there.

The Power Goes Out (The Humans)

The A24 film The Humans, is all about a family telling each other how they feel on Thanksgiving. Tensions rise even quicker once the power goes out, where bombshells are thrown. But plenty of moments before led to the family fighting against each other, too. I love the power going out, though.

Harper And Sloane's Fight (Happiest Season)

Happiest Season is a tremendous modern-day Christmas movie with LGBTQ+ themes, and the moment that leads to things falling apart is when Harper and Sloane (two sisters) get into a fight. This later leads to Sloane outing Harper as a lesbian. 

Jackson Confesses His Feelings At Thanksgiving (Holidate)

The worst time to confess feelings is at Thanksgiving dinner, and Jackson in Holidate does that to Sloane, which leads to a big, intense fight that ruins the dinner – even if they make up later in the film. 

There are so many movies with crazy moments that ruin family events, but these are just some of the most memorable. I'm sure there will be even more to add to this list as time passes. 

Filmmaker Rian Johnson has been on a roll over the last few years, becoming a household name thanks to projects like the subversive Star Wars: The Last Jedi as well as the Knives Out franchise. The latter started with the 2019 original movie, and was expanded when the sequel Glass Onion was released for those with a Netflix subscription. And Johnson recently offered an exciting Knives Out 3 update. Let’s break it all down.

While Rian Johnson was attached to a new Star Wars movie, it seems like his focus is primarily on all things Knives Out currently. Following the wild success of Glass Onion, moviegoers are wondering what’s next for Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc. Johnson recently spoke to The Wrap about the franchise’s upcoming threequel, saying:

Well, that’s thrilling. While the SAG-AFTRA strike is still ongoing, the Writer’s Guild of America came to a deal to end theirs. And as such, Rian Johnson can finally get down to business writing the upcoming Knives Out sequel. I’m especially curious about who might make up the franchise’s next ensemble cast.

It looks like Knives Out 3 is in the works although it’s a total mystery at the time of writing this story. And while Rian Johnson still needs to complete the script, he knows exactly where he wants to take the story in the upcoming blockbuster. That probably includes another song to title the movie after, just like its predecessors.

In his comments, Johnson specifically mentioned knowing the setting of Knives Out 3. Indeed, the first two movies were given vastly different locations and circumstances. While the original movie followed the family of Harlan Thrombey in the family mansion, the second movie focused on a group of friends on a private island. And smart money says it’s going to be a very different location and circumstances in the third film.

The Knives Out franchise is an anthology, with the only actor who is definitely going to return being Daniel Craig. But alum like Ana de Armas have shared their interest in coming back. Another possible returning face might be Hugh Grant, who was revealed to be playing Blanc’s partner in the second film. Only time will tell how it all shakes out.

Glass Onion is streaming now on Netflix. Be sure to check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Filmmaker Rian Johnson has been on a roll lately, thanks to his work on high profile projects like Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and the Knives Out franchise. The latter began with the 2019 original movie, and was expanded when Glass Onion arrived on Netflix. Both of his Knives Out movies feature stellar casts, led by Daniel Craig. The original also features Chris Evans as the villainous Ransom Drysdale. And the Marvel alum recently revealed which co-star made him break character the most… and it might surprise you.

The Knives Out cast was killer (pun intended), and featured iconic performances from the likes of Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Colette, and Ana de Armas. Despite the murder mystery the franchise is also very much a comedy, with plenty of funny moments in each of the two movies so far. Chris Evans recently spoke to GQ about his career, and shared how Michael Shannon actually had him in stitches when filming. As he put it,

There you have it. It looks like Shannon was actually the one who made Chris Evans break while filming Knives Out-- despite being a celebrated dramatic actor. Specifically because of their two characters’ familial dynamic, and one scene involving cookies.

Evans’ comments to GQ show how much fun it was to film Knives Out for the stellar cast assembled by Rian Johnson. Glass Onion also had plenty of A-listers, with Daniel Craig being the only Knives Out actor included. What’s more, the 007 actor is expected to once again return in the developing Knives Out 3 movie.

While it seems unlikely that Chris Evans will ever reprise his role as Ransom in a Knives Out sequel, it should be fascinating to see what comes next for the 42 year-old actor. Some fans are hoping to see Evans return as Captain America, although he doesn’t seem interested in doing that anytime soon. He’s got other goals in mind, including his first Academy Award nomination.

Glass Onion was another critical hit for Rian Johnson, and it looks like the mystery sequel is taking up much of his focus as a filmmaker. Moviegoers can’t wait to see what all-star cast he assembles for the forthcoming threequel. Considering the cast and wild cameos for Glass Onion, it seems like just about anything is possible.

In addition to Knives Out 3, Rian Johnson is also working on the second season of Poker Face. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Among the many frequent actor/director pairings in Hollywood, one of my personal favorites is Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Rian Johnson. Due to there being a few exceptions (such as the filmmaker’s Breaking Bad episodes, most notably), the two-time Emmy-winning star of 3rd Rock from the Sun and the Inception cast has been involved with almost every major project by the creator of the Knives Out movies (the third of which is in development) in some capacity since his feature film debut, Brick. Speaking of the 2005 drama, what better way to begin this breakdown of every JGL role featured in Rian Johnson’s movies and TV shows so far?

Brendan Frye (Brick)

The conventions of the film noir style are so distinctly defined that you could set a story in any time period and at any place and it might still feel like a genuine contribution to the genre. The best and most evident example of this may be Brick, which stars Gordon-Levitt as teenage Brendan Frye, whose investigation of his girlfriend’s mysterious death leads to his discovery and infiltration of a dangerous mob of adolescent criminals. Don’t let Frye’s age mislead you, as his first-rate detective skills, indomitable will, and colorful manner of speaking earn him a spot alongside heroes like Philip Marlowe or Sam Spade in Johnson’s astonishing debut and one of the most unique high school movies ever made.

Bar Patron (The Brothers Bloom)

Joseph Gordon-Levitt took a step away from the spotlight for Johnson’s second feature-length effort, The Brothers Bloom, which stars Academy Award winner Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo as a pair of brotherly con artists whose dynamic is threatened by their lovely new target (Rachel Weisz). JGL does not even receive credit for his role in the 2008 dramedy as a man in a hat seen wandering aimlessly in the background and in a seconds-long close-up shot during a scene set at a crowded bar. However, this would end up being the first example of an ongoing challenge to spot the actor in a Johnson-helmed project in which he does not play the lead.

Joe (Looper)

For Johnson’s third film — 2012’s Looper — Gordon-Levitt would be reinstated to the leading man position, but you would be forgiven if you did not realize it was him at first. To play Joe, a hitman who specializes in taking out people sent back to his time by a futuristic mob, the actor wore make-up prosthetics to better resemble the man playing his older self: Bruce Willis, in one of his own best movies. JGL’s dedication to mimicking the appearance and mannerisms of his legendary co-star is just one of the many ways this highly inventive sci-fi thriller is one of the best time travel movies in recent memory.

Slowen Lo (Star Wars: The Last Jedi)

It is time for another edition of “Find Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the Rian Johnson Movie!” Not only is the actor’s cameo in Star Wars: The Last Jedi — Johnson’s sole contribution to the blockbuster sci-fi franchise (so far) — hard to spot with one’s eyes, but also with one’s ears as he speaks in a deep Southern twang to voice Slowen Lo, which is only his first role in the Star Wars universe, having later joined the Star Wars: Visions cast in 2021. Viewers of the 2017 film — of which JGL is a big fan — may recall seeing the red, long-faced alien from the Canto Bight sequence, during which his warning that Finn (John Boyega) and Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) have parked on a beach illegally is bluntly ignored.

Detective Hardrock (Knives Out)

JGL’s cameo in 2019’s Knives Out is only slightly easier to spot than Slowen Lo… if you can easily recognize the sound of his real voice, that is. The unseen whodunit within the whodunit that Marta Cabrera’s (Ana de Armas) sister, Alice (Shyrley Rodriguez), watches in an early scene follows an investigator named Detective Hardrock, who is accusing a suspect of a hilariously over-the-top murder that happened to be caught on “nanny cam footage.” It is none other than Gordon-Levitt providing the voice of the detective — a minor character that I would be interested to see return in more than just a vocal appearance for the mystery franchise’s upcoming third installment, even though that would mean breaking tradition.

Hourly Dong (Glass Onion)

When the sequel to Knives Out was first announced (long before it was given the title Glass Onion), one of the things we had hoped to see was a bigger role for Joseph Gordon-Levitt following his aforementioned cameo in the first film. Well, I guess you could say that we, technically, got our wish when you consider the fact that he is credited this time and that his voice can be heard far more often throughout the hit, Oscar-nominated Netflix original movie from 2022. The human-voiced “dong” that can be hear on Miles Bron’s (Edward Norton) Greek island estate at the top of every hour is portrayed by JGL — a fact that makes the running gag all the more hilariously satisfying.

Trey Mendez (Poker Face)

The most recent time that Johnson directed Gordon-Levitt in a starring role was in one of the best episodes of Poker Face — a fun throwback to murder mystery shows like Columbo that the filmmaker created himself. In the penultimate chapter of the acclaimed Peacock original series’ first season, called “Escape from Shit Mountain,” human lie detector Charlie Cale (Natasha Lyonne), finds herself, once again, stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time and, this time, with a guy (Gordon-Levitt) who should have just stayed home when his house arrest ankle bracelet malfunctioned. His A-list status aside, JGL is a standout of the Poker Face cast for his partially relatable portrayal of isolation in the opening montage and the way he taps into Trey Mendez’s more sinister side as dark secrets about him come to light.

Lest we forget, there is another actor known for his frequent collaborations with Rian Johnson (including in one of his Breaking Bad episodes) named Noah Segan. He played a foil for JGL’s roles in both Brick and Looper and can even say he has speaking parts in the movies where the other only cameos — most notably the two roles Segan has portrayed in the Benoit Blanc universe so far (Trooper Wagner in Knives Out and Derol in Glass Onion). It is always a pleasure looking forward to how Johnson will put these two into his projects next.

Actor Chris Evans is a wildly successful movie star, whose career was seriously boosted thanks to his tenure playing Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His time with the shield has come to an end, and he’s got a number of exciting projects coming down the line. It turns out that Evans has an idea for a return to the Knives Out franchise, and sign me up. After all, who doesn’t want to see more of the villainous Ransom Drysdale, complete with that signature white sweater?

2019’s Knives Out was a massive success, and filmmaker Rian Johnson has been expanding that burgeoning universe into a franchise, starting with the first follow-up flick Glass Onion. So far Daniel Craig’s protagonist Benoit Blanc is the only character who returned in the movies, as Johnson is seemingly creating an anthology series. But Chris Evans recently appeared at C2E2 in Chicago (via ComicBook), and offered an idea for how he might be able to return. As he put it,

Some serious points were made. Ransom is objectively a bad person, even before it was revealed that he was indeed the person behind his father’s death in Knives Out. So if he returned for another movie by Rian Johnson, Evans doesn’t want to see any sort of redemption for that spoiled murderer. Instead, he wants to play the same character we love to hate. And I’m personally putting my support behind that concept.

Chris Evans’ comments are sure to excite moviegoers out there, who are already excited to see what Rian Johnson will bring to the table with his second Knives Out follow-up. Glass Onion was a wild success when it was released on Netflix, and it seems like the Last Jedi filmmaker is committed to growing the property. Indeed, he was already cooking up ideas for the threequel when releasing his sophomore whodunit. 

Per the Captain America actor, he could see Ransom returning to Knives Out thanks to some trick legal strategy that might only be accessible for a super rich person like Chris Evans’ character. And since the ending of the first movie saw Ana de Armas’ Marta seize control of the mansion and the Thrombey family fortune, Ransom would probably be out for revenge. So his idea will also require the Blonde actress to return as well. For her part, de Armas seems down to reprise that role. We’ll just have to wait and see what Johnson has up his sleeve.

Rian Johnson’s continued commitment to Knives Out has fans wondering if his announced return to Star Wars will ever happen. Lucasfilm recently announced a new trilogy, none of which will be helmed by the Last Jedi filmmaker. Fans will have to patiently wait for what’s to come, and see if Chris Evans ever returns as Ransom.

As for Evans, he has some exciting projects coming down the line including Red One with Dwayne Johnson. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

If the Knives Out movies have taught us anything, we can depend on Rian Johnson to give us an entertaining and engaging mystery. Peacock’s Poker Face just adds more proof to this theory. It’s the kind of must-see television series that I look forward to watching each week.

It follows Charlie (Natasha Lyonne) as she stumbles upon a new mystery weekly, and the show has an old-school mystery-of-the-week vibe but is modernized for the streaming service-loving generation. Its positive reviews and quickly developing fanbase highlight why this is a show to add to your TV queue if you haven’t already.

If you have discovered the wonders of the series and Natasha Lyonne’s refreshing detective, Charlie, then you may want to watch some similar TV shows and movies, so here are a few to check out if you like Poker Face. 

Murder, She Wrote (Peacock) 

Angela Lansbury stars in Murder, She Wrote as Jessica Fletcher, a mystery novelist who often finds herself right in the middle of a real major whodunnit. The show ran for 12 seasons, from 1984 to 1996. 

Poker Face and Murder, She Wrote overlap in quite a few ways. They both involve the main character constantly finding themselves with a mystery to solve, and both Jessica and Charlie are extremely skilled at solving crimes but neither are professional detectives. In another lifetime, the two would hit it off and work together to find the culprits. Rian Johnson clearly loves this classic. It’s obvious with the Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery cameo and how Poker Face takes inspiration from Jessica and her crime-solving expertise.

Stream Murder, She Wrote on Peacock.

Columbo (Tubi) 

Columbo is an NBC and ABC crime drama that aired for 10 seasons. It starred Peter Falk as the title character, a homicide detective who often uses his intuition and street smarts to solve crimes. He’s not the typical buttoned-up cop.

In many ways, Poker Face feels like this show's offspring . Charlie feels like Columbo’s reincarnation. They have a similar demeanor and attitude that makes them outsiders in the world of law enforcement. Additionally, they can read people like a well-written book, enthusiastically and with precision. Johnson's series also borrows the classic's episodic pattern, as each starts by showing who committed the crimes and why. Then we watch as our lead figures it all out. 

Stream Columbo on Tubi.

Veronica Mars (Hulu) 

Veronica Mars is a CW show that ran for three seasons. It then came back several years later when a Kickstarter helped revive the franchise with a movie. Then the series returned again in 2019 for Season 4 on Hulu. 

Some of the best Veronica Mars episodes involve the titular teen solving crimes by using her skills of observation and people-reading. Charlie also has these skills. Both characters also aren’t typical TV detectives. Poker Face fans may enjoy the older show because they both involve strong heroines solving crimes as experts in their fields who don’t do it for the glory, but for a need to discover the truth.

Stream Veronica Mars on Hulu.
Buy Veronica Mars on Amazon.

The Knives Out Movies (Netflix/Amazon) 

Knives Out and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery both revolve around Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) trying to expose a murderer who also happens to be wealthy. These films fall into the eat-the-rich movie mystery genre. Both the Knives Out cast and the Glass Onion cast include many A-list stars like Chris Evans, Kate Hudson, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Kathryn Hahn.

Obviously, the Knives Out films and Poker Face are both created by Johnson, so they have that in common. They also both show a vast appreciation and admiration for the mystery genre. This makes them sort of tributes to the power of a good mystery story. 

Rent/buy Knives Out on Amazon.
Stream Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery on Netflix.

Only Murders In The Building (Hulu) 

Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez play an unlikely trio in Only Murders in the Building. This Hulu original series follows Charles (Steve Martin), Oliver (Martin Short), and Mabel (Selena Gomez) as they find a body in their building and then must work together to solve the mystery and try to clear their names. They also start a podcast along the way.

It's one of Hulu’s best original TV shows because it introduces an engaging mystery each season. It also works because of the cast’s chemistry and the hilarious writing. Poker Face also introduces an engaging mystery each week. You may know who did it from the start but you want to see how it all comes together. 

Natasha Lyonne is also really good at creating chemistry with her scene partners. When Charlie’s new friends are either murdered or the murderers, you feel that betrayal or hurt because these characters' chemistry matters. 

Stream Only Murders In The Building on Hulu. 

Clue (Amazon Prime Video) 

Remember that classic board game that you play with your family every holiday season? Well did you know it’s a movie? Of course you did, because it’s also a classic. Clue is a 1985 dark comedy that stars Eileen Brennan, Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, Michael McKean, Martin Mull, Lesley Ann Warren, and Colleen Camp. Six strangers arrive at a mansion and the seventh guest is suddenly murdered. 

They must work together to bring down the murderer or at least try not to be the next victim. Clue and Poker Face share their dark comedy tone. Overall, the Peacock series is a comedy, but it blurs those lines when dealing with some of the more serious cases, while the classic is also generally a fun whodunit. If you enjoy the entertaining nature of the crimes on Poker Face, then you’ll love this movie.

Stream Clue on Paramount+.
Rent/Buy Clue on Amazon.

iZombie (Netflix) 

iZombie follows Liv Moore (Rose McIver), a woman who is bitten by a zombie at a boat party. She then gets a job at a morgue to resolve her brain cravings by eating the brains of the deceased. There is only one big problem: she absorbs their personalities and memories.

She uses this new power to solve crimes, especially murder cases. Poker Face and iZombie are both unconventional mystery shows, as Charlie isn’t the typical crime solver and neither is Liv. They both use their gifts — and curses — to solve crimes. The environments also play a major factor in each episode. Liv mentally becomes whoever she eats, and Charlie adapts to the environments she enters during each episode.

Stream iZombie on Netflix.
Buy iZombie on Amazon. 

Russian Doll (Netflix)  

Russian Doll is a Netflix original TV show that follows Nadia (Natasha Lyonne), a woman who enters a time loop on her 36th birthday. She tries to figure out how to escape it.

Though Nadia and Charlie are not the same characters, they’re both played by Lyonne so they have similarities. If Poker Face is your introduction to her, then Russian Doll is a good place to start for other great Natasha Lyonne projects. It showcases her ability to create a complex character who is not perfect, but trying not to be terrible. The overlapping mystery elements on both series also make them good companion shows to watch. You can get a double dose of her trying to solve mysteries.

Stream Russian Doll on Netflix.

The Nice Guys (Netflix) 

Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling play Jackson and Holland respectively in The Nice Guys. Holland works as a private investigator and Jackson works as an enforcer. They end up working on the same case and decide to team up to solve the mystery.

In another cinematic universe, Jackson, Holland, and Charlie all work together, because they have a similar style. Yes, some time-traveling would need to happen, but it could work. All these characters have messy lives and methods of handling their cases. However, each of them is actually really good at their jobs, even if everything else in their lives is a mess. Charlie's fans will also enjoy getting to know Holland and Jackson.

Stream The Nice Guys on Netflix.
Rent/buy The Nice Guys on Amazon.

See How They Run (HBO Max) 

Inspector Stoppard (Sam Rockwell) is assigned to solve the murder of film director Leo Köpernick (Adrien Brody). Inexperienced WPC Stalker (Saoirse Ronan) tags along to help and gain experience. Agatha Christie’s play The Mousetrap happens to be at the center of this crime and the film.

Though this isn’t a direct adaptation of a Christie story, it’s clearly influenced by her work. This makes sense, because she is the queen of a good mystery story. Both Poker Face and See How They Run use and spin some of the classic mystery stories to create tributes and homages to this genre. They also both do this with a comedic tone.

Stream See How They Run on HBO Max.
Rent/buy See How They Run on Amazon.

Perry Mason (Freevee Via Amazon) 

The original Perry Mason TV show ran from 1957 to 1966, for nine seasons. It stars Raymond Burr as the title character, a defense attorney who often gets involved in solving crimes to help his clients. This often leads to him finding the real criminal and freeing his clients.

The tone here is more dramatic than on Poker Face, but they are both about passionate characters who really want to get to the truth. Generally, Mason does it to help his clients, and he has a need to know the truth behind each case. Though Charlie may have different motives for solving her cases each week, they all stem from a desire to find out what really happened. 

Stream Perry Mason on Freevee.

A Simple Favor (Amazon) 

A Simple Favor follows vlogger and single mom Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) who tries to solve the mystery of her friend, Emily’s (Blake Lively) disappearance.

If there is a genre of main characters who are kind of a hot mess, both Stephanie and Charlie belong in that category, though I would argue that the latter seems a lot more emotionally stable than the former. They are also both amateur crime solvers, but Charlie is a lot better at it and does it because it’s more of a calling. 

A Simple Favor and Poker Face are also both simply really fun entries into the mystery genre. 

Poker Face is one of Peacock’s best TV shows, so as you anxiously await the next episode or season, make sure to check out some movies and TV shows on this list. 

Stream A Simple Favor on Amazon.
Stream Poker Face on Peacock.

Actress Jamie Lee Curtis has had a long and wildly successful career, dating back to John Carpenter's 1978 original Halloween movie. She’s had a serious renaissance over the last few years, leading up to her first Academy Award nomination for Everything Everywhere All at Once. On top of her talents as an actress, Curtis is also known for her advocacy work and sparkling personality. And she recently revealed the "secret sauce" that’s helped her during Knives Out and other Hollywood films.

Jamie Lee Curtis has been keeping super busy over the last few years, with a variety of exciting projects in addition to a new trilogy of Halloween movies. Chief among them was Rian Johnson’s whodunnit Knives Out, which has since grown into a full-blown franchise. She recently spoke to Insider about a not-so-secret strategy that she uses while on set, saying:

Well, there you have it. While plenty of actors use their trailers to have either rest or preparation while filming, Jamie Lee Curtis does the opposite. She’d rather be closer to the set while working on projects like Disney’s upcoming Haunted Mansion movie. What’s more, she thinks that being near the action of the set has helped her throughout the years.

I can personally vouch for Jamie Lee Curtis’ penchant for staying away from her trailer. I was lucky enough to attend a set visit for the 2018 Halloween movie, where she was kind enough to speak with myself and other journalists. And while she wasn’t technically filming that day, she spent the rest of the day on set in full hair as Laurie Strode. Later in her same interview with Insider, she explained how this strategy got her more screen time in Knives Out, sharing: 

Between stories like this and Jamie Lee Curtis’ reputation for being a total badass when filming action sequences, it makes sense that she’s had such a long and successful career in the film industry. Curtis is someone willing to go above and beyond for her craft, which is why her recent Oscar nomination feels so right for her generations of fans. We’ll just have to wait and see if she manages to snatch that trophy, or if she’s beat out by Everything Everywhere All at Once co-star Stephanie Hsu.

All will be revealed when the Oscars air on March 12th. Jamie Lee Curtis has a number of exciting projects coming down the line including The Haunted Mansion and the Borderlands movie. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

When Rian Johnson made Knives Out the movie was such a hit that it spawned not one but two additional sequels, transforming the single mystery into a bona fide franchise. Now two of the films have been released, and the sequel, Glass Onion, was just as big a hit as the first. However, Johnson now says there is one big thing that he hopes will make the third film in the series very different. He wants to change the subtitle.

The full title of the second movie, at least from a promotional standpoint was Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, which doesn’t actually make a lot of sense, since the two films have completely separate stories and characters, with only Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc appearing in both. While Johnson understands the need to include the Knives Out name the second time around, he tells the Filmcast that he hopes that the third movie will drop Knives Out and become A Benoit Blanc mystery. Johnson said…

As Johnson says, it makes sense that Netflix would want to include Knives Out in the title of Glass Onion because the name of the movie has more name recognition with the general public that the character played by Daniel Craig, Benoit Blanc. You want the people looking for the Knives Out sequel to know that Glass Onion is the Knives Out sequel. The movie had been generally referred to as Knives Out 2 before it had an official title because nobody knew what else to call it.

Having said that, the only connection between the two movies is the character. The idea of calling the entire movie franchise Knives Out doesn’t really make any sense. Both stories are murder mystery whodunits, but they are otherwise very original in how they go about that, with each one finding different ways to subvert the genre. 

But Rian Johnson is hopeful that when it comes to the third movie in this series, it won’t be called A Knives Out Mystery. Instead, thanks to the fact that a lot more people have been introduced to Benoit Blanc and know his name, the writer/director hopes that will be the subtitle used to let people know what the next film in the series is. Johnson continues…

We likely won’t know for sure what subtitle the next Benoit Blanc movie has until promotion for the movie begins. By then, the first two movies will likely have continued to find new fans, so it feels like there’s a good chance everybody will know who Benoit Blanc is. 

SPOILER WARNING: The following contains spoilers from both Knives Out and Glass Onion. If you have not watched either of Rian Johnson’s mystery movies, be warned that this invitation is not to be trifled with.

I recently heard Daniel Craig say something about the clever private eye he plays in 2019’s Knives Out and its Netflix original follow-up from 2022, Glass Onion, that I could not agree with more. The actor believes that it is not what we know about Benoit Blanc — such as his Southern roots, his calm and empathetic demeanor, and his excellent judge of character — but what we do NOT know that makes him so compelling and memorable. 

However, despite my concurrence with the former James Bond actor’s comments to BBC Radio 1, I will admit that it is hard not to be curious about who Blanc really is and what hints on the matter writer and director Rian Johnson has dropped in his beloved whodunnits so far. The following are all the most notable clues I could uncover when trying to get to bottom of the mystery behind one of the genre’s most fascinating detective's as of late, starting with his most noteworthy cases.

Benoit Blanc Is Known For Cases Involving A “Tennis Champ” And A “Ballet Dancer”

For those who exist outside of the universe in which Knives Out and Glass Onion take place (i.e., us), the most famous cases of Benoit Blanc’s career would be the ones that we see unravel in each film. However, the mysteries that made the private eye one of the most renowned in his field, and in his relative universe, are a different sort that do receive subtle mention in the movies.

Upon recognizing Blanc, Joni Thrombey — Academy Award nominee Toni Collette’s character from the Knives Out cast — says she read a tweet about a New Yorker article that refers to him as “the last of gentlemen sleuths” and mentions a case he cracked involving a “tennis champ.” When the detective meets the rest of the Glass Onion cast, politician Claire Debella (Kathryn Hahn) recalls hearing about the murder of a “ballet dancer with the thing and the thing” that he also solved. We could speculate that either of these cases could serve as the plot of Johnson’s upcoming third installment, but I, personally, prefer keeping these as obscure details that allows us to fill in the blanks.

The Detective Followed In His Father’s Footsteps

I will admit, however, that I am interested in the idea of a prequel to Knives Out and Glass Onion, but not one that follows Blanc in his earlier years (which would go against Johnson’s promise to not “Young Indiana Jones” the character, anyway). I think it would be fun to see the filmmaker try his hand at a period piece that is set in the same universe and tells a similar story, but from the point of view of Blanc’s father, whom we know from a conversation between the detective and Marta Cabrera (Craig’s future No Time to Die co-star, Ana de Armas) was a police detective.

When the nurse asks Blanc if he was an admirer of the late Harlan Thrombey (Oscar winner Christopher Plummer), he reveals that his father was not only an admirer of the crime novelist, but a friend of his. This opens up an opportunity, not just for a truly old fashioned Knives Out mystery, but also one featuring Blanc’s dad teaming up with the Thrombey Family patriarch’s younger self on a case, perhaps. If we need some obligatory reference to Craig’s character, I would settle for a hint at his conception, maybe, depending on the time period Johnson goes with.

Blanc Has A Husband

While I still stand by my preference to know as little about Benoit Blanc as possible, I cannot deny that it was fun to learn what we now know about his personal life from Glass Onion. For instance, when Helen Brand (Janelle Monae) first shows up to the detective’s apartment to ask about the death of her millionaire twin sister (also played by Monae), the door is answered by an Englishman wearing an apron and with bits of flour on his face.

Identified as Phillip, this man is Blanc’s husband, which the actor who plays him, Hugh Grant, confirmed in an interview in which he stated that he is, indeed, “married to James Bond.” As of now, there are only three recurring actors in the Knives Out franchise — including Craig, Noah Segan (as Trooper Wagner and Derol), and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (as the voice of Detective Hardrock and Miles Bron’s hourly Dong) — but seeing Grant potentially come back to explore his character’s relationship with Blanc sounds like a treat.

He Has Many Famous Friends

Grant and Gordon-Levitt are just a couple of the many awesome cameos throughout Glass Onion, including Ethan Hawke as “Efficient Man” and Serena Williams as herself. Also appearing as themselves are legendary composer Stephen Sondheim, Academy Award winner Angela Lansbury, NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and former Orange is the New Black cast member Natasha Lyonne, who are catching up with their good buddy, Benoit Blanc, in a pandemic-era Zoom meeting.

The interesting thing about all of Blanc’s real-world celebrity friends is that each have a connection to the mystery genre. The late Sondheim (who passed away in 2021) co-wrote a 1973 whodunnit called The Last of Sheila (which influenced Glass Onion, as hinted by Johnson’s tweet), Lansbury (who passed away in 2022) starred on a case-of-the-week series called Murder, She Wrote, Abdul-Jabbar also appeared as himself in 1985’s Fletch, and Lyonne, in addition to starring in and producing Russian Doll, teamed with Johnson for their own case-of-the-week series on Peacock called Poker Face.

He Apparently Took Baths To Cope With The Pandemic

One major thing to take note of when Blanc is Zooming with his famous friends is where he is speaking to them from: his bathtub. At one point during the scene, you can hear Phillip asking him from offscreen if he is “in the bath again,” to which his husband sheepishly fibs, “No.”

Phillip’s question and a closer look at Blanc’s surroundings — particularly the bottle of an alcoholic beverage and stacks of books close by — suggest that the detective spent a lot of time in his bathtub while the lockdown, circa 2020, forced him to take a break from his profession. I mean, if baths provide a sense of comfort for him, who can blame him for preferring that as his quarantine spot?

Blanc Is Not One For Playing Mystery Games

Also in Glass Onion’s bathtub scene, we see Blanc discovering his distaste for the hit computer game, Among Us, which he loses when playing against his aforementioned celebrity friends after “Angie” identifies him as the Imposter. Abdul-Jabbar points out his surprise that the “world’s greatest detective” was not a master at such a game.

Well, as he later explains to Helen, the man noted for his exceptional talent for solving mysteries is no match for the ultimate mystery game, Clue, which he repeatedly criticizes as, “terrible.” I wonder how he might have felt about the classic movie adaptation from 1985, if his distaste for the source material did not deter him from catching one of its three alternate endings at the movie theater.

There is still plenty more to know about Benoit Blanc, but — again — I have no issue keeping it that way. Yet, as a man of such charm, empathy, and intelligence, he is certainly the type of person one might love to call a friend. If collecting the information above — and what more there may be to come — is a way of feeling closer to the character, so be it.

Benoit Blanc's accent in Knives Out was originally supposed to be a "light Southern drawl" as Rian Johnson put it, but now it has turned into one of the campiest, most memorable accents on the silver screen, in my opinion. Daniel Craig's smooth southern accent and eccentric vocabulary are incredibly fun to impersonate, and I know I can't help but try to mimic him whenever I watch these mysteries. Now, the cast of Glass Onion has been tasked with attempting their own take on Benoit's accent, and lucky for us we've been graced with a wonderful video of it. 

In this glorious video from Still Watching Netflix, Leslie Odom Jr., Kate Hudson, Madelyn Cline and Jessica Henwick each try their hand at impersonating the Southern detective. They take turns saying some of Benoit’s best lines, and they try to break down the intricacies of the accent Daniel Craig does throughout the movies. While you can see Kathryn Hahn do the iconic accent in the movie, you can watch these other four castmates attempt the signature Southern drawl here:  

Both Hudson and Odom Jr. note that they had no time to practice the accents. However, they gave it their all and really tried to nail down Benoit’s tone and Southern charm. They really enjoyed impersonating the detective by way of the line: 

Following that fun interaction, all four cast members get hung up trying to figure out how exactly Mr. Blanc pronounced one of the products associated with one of the fabulous name-drops in the movie. That word was “kombucha,” “Jared Leto’s hard kombucha” to be exact.  

In the end, the cast decided who did the best impression, and Hudson made the executive call that Odom Jr. had the best Benoit voice considering his extensive background in theater. I’d honestly say Henwick did the best Southern accent out of the bunch, especially at the beginning of the video when she nailed the line:

I thought that was a wonderful line to pick, and the producers of the video definitely chose some memorable one-liners. However, I would have loved to hear the cast attempt Benoit’s epic monologue that dove-tails into one of the biggest moments in Glass Onion. It would have also been delightful to hear them all say Halle Berry’s name with the enthusiasm that Blanc uses in the movie. 

Lucky for us, Rian Johnson has been open about making more Knives Out mysteries. That means the iconic detective will return to solve another murder with a different cast, and hopefully, we'll get more hilarious impressions from A-list actors too. 

While we wait for more news about the third installment in the Knives Out mysteries, you can watch the 2022 movie schedule hit Glass Onion with a Netflix subscription. Also, while you anticipate Johnson’s next whodunnit, be sure to work on your Southern drawl so you’re ready to ace more of Beniot Blanc's legendary one-liners.