Posted in: Movies, Netflix | Tagged: rian johnson, wake up dead man, wake up dead man: a knives out mystery

Rian Johnson & Daniel Craig: "Starting To Formulate" Knives Out 4 & 5

Wake Up Dead Man director and writer Rian Johnson has confirmed that he and Daniel Craig are "already starting to formulate" more Knives Out films.

When the Knives Out movies made the jump from Lionsgate to Netflix, the deal that writer and director Rian Johnson signed was a two-movie deal. Wake Up Dead Man is movie three, so technically we've reached the end of the deal, but it sounds like Johnson and star Daniel Craig aren't quite ready to leave this one behind. The Knives Out movies are heavily inspired by classic mystery novels, where the only recurring character is our central detective. It gives everyone involved a lot more flexibility, and it means working with a large group of new actors each time.

The reviews for Wake Up Dead Man and Glass Onion weren't quite as glowing as they were for the first film. It's clear that there is still a lot of love for these movies, and it sounds like both Johnson and Craig are considering doing more. Johnson specifically told The Hollywood Reporter, "Creatively, I feel energized after making this one. Daniel and I are already starting to formulate … what could the next one be if we do another one?"

Poker Face was canceled…kind of. It seems like the ultimate fate of the franchise is a bit up in the air, but that does mean that Johnson's insanely busy schedule just opened up a little. Netflix would need to hammer out another deal to keep Johnson on for more Knives Out films, or he might try to shop the franchise back to a studio that will give the films a full theatrical release. When anything about a possible Knives Out 4 and beyond is confirmed, it could come at any time, from today to months after the film's release. However, it sounds like the two most important people are ready for more, and that's the most important thing.

Wake Up Dead Man: Summary, Cast List, Release Date

Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) returns for his most dangerous case yet in the third and darkest chapter of Rian Johnson's murder mystery opus. When young priest Jud Duplenticy (Josh O'Connor) is sent to assist charismatic firebrand Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin), it's clear that all is not well in the pews. Wicks's modest-but-devoted flock includes devout church lady Martha Delacroix (Glenn Close), circumspect groundskeeper Samson Holt (Thomas Haden Church), tightly-wound lawyer Vera Draven, Esq. (Kerry Washington), aspiring politician Cy Draven (Daryl McCormack), town doctor Nat Sharp (Jeremy Renner), best-selling author Lee Ross (Andrew Scott), and concert cellist Simone Vivane (Cailee Spaeny). After a sudden and seemingly impossible murder rocks the town, the lack of an obvious suspect prompts local police chief Geraldine Scott (Mila Kunis) to join forces with renowned detective Benoit Blanc to unravel a mystery that defies all logic. Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Rian Johnson writes and directs Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, and assembles another all-star, award-winning cast.

Wake Up Dead Man is the newest Benoit Blanc whodunnit from writer and director Rian Johnson, starring Daniel Craig, Josh O'Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church. Wake Up Dead Man will stream on Netflix on December 12th, 2025.

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