Pictures: Netflix
The ensemble cast of Rian Johnson’s next entry in the Knives Out franchise, Wake Up Dead Dead Man, has been revealed. Filming is expected to begin soon and will be released exclusively on Netflix in 2025. Here’s everything we know so far.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is an upcoming Netflix Original crime-comedy mystery film written, directed, and produced by Rian Johnson. The film is the third entry in the series, following Knives Out and Glass Onion, and will feature a brand new ensemble cast.
Netflix previously paid $450 million for the rights to two Knives Out sequels. If further sequels are planned, the streaming service will have to splash the cash once more to keep Knives Out exclusive to the service.
Ram Bergman and Leopold Hughes are producers alongside Johnson. Both worked on the previous Knives Out entries. After composing the music of Knives Out and Glass Onion, Nathan Johnson will return as the composer.
What is the plot of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery?
Unsurprisingly, the plot for the film has yet to be revealed. We aren’t expecting to learn anything about it anytime soon and likely won’t have the logline revealed until after filming has concluded and the film is deep into post-production.
When the title of the film was announced, Rian Johnson posted the following on X:
“I love everything about whodunnits, but one of the things I love most is how malleable the genre is. There’s a whole tonal spectrum from Carr to Christie, and getting to explore that range is one of the most exciting things about making Benoit Blanc movies.
We’re about to go into production on the 3rd one, and I’m very, very excited to share the title, which gives a little hint of where it’s going.”
Who are the cast of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery?
Since the first announcement, Netflix has quickly unveiled the ensemble cast of the next entry in the Knives Out franchise.
Daniel Craig was already confirmed to be reprising his role as super sleuth Benoit Blanc.
Picture: Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery – Lionsgate Films
The first names to be announced were Cailee Spaeny and Josh O’Connor. Spaeny was recently seen in the high-profile A24 movie Civil War and Priscilla Presley in Baz Luhrman’s Elvis biopic. Meanwhile, Josh O’Connor is most well known for his time on The Crown as Prince Charles. He recently starred in the steamy sport-drama Challengers alongside Zendaya and Mike Faist.
Picture: Cailee Spaeny in Civil War (left) and Josh O’Connor in The Crown (right) – A24/Sony Pictures Television
Since the first announcement, we’ve seen the addition of Andrew Scott (Sherlock), Kerry Washington (Django Unchained), Glenn Close (Fatal Attraction), Jeremy Renner (Avengers Assemble), Mila Kunis (Family Guy), Daryl McCormack (Bad Sisters), Thomas Haden Church (Spider-Man 3), and Josh Brolin (Avengers: Endgame).
Notably, Andrew Scott’s appointment reunites him with Daniel Craig, who previously starred in the 2015 James Bond film Spectre.
From top left to bottom right: Andrew Scott, Kerry Washington, Glenn Close, Jeremy Renner, Mila Kunis, Daryl McCormack, Thomas Haden Church, Josh Brolin.
What is the production status of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery?
Official Production Status: Production (Last Updated: 05/06/2024)
On June 10th, Rian Johnson on X confirmed that filming was underway with a picture of Daniel Craig (notably aged from prior films!) in a soundstage for the new movie. In the post he says:
“Aaaaand we’re off! Today is day 1 of shooting on the next Benoit Blanc mystery “Wake Up Dead Man” – see you on the other side.”
The budget for the new movie is thought to be between $30 and $50M, with production ongoing through early August 2024.
When is the Netflix release date?
Netflix has yet to reveal an official release date. However, we know that the film will be released sometime in 2025.
Are you looking forward to watching Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery on Netflix?