<figure class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_171198" style="width: 350px;"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-171198">Rian Johnson attends the Opening Gala screening of Netflix’s “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” during the 69th BFI London Film Festival at The Royal Festival Hall on October 8th, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by StillMoving.Net for Netflix)</figcaption></figure>

The first film was a major box office hit. It opened the door to a massive Netflix deal that locked in two sequels. Its follow-up, Glass Onion, reached over 60 million streams within months of its release. The film also earned Rian Johnson a second Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay.

Now, with Wake Up Dead Man, the franchise’s momentum shows no signs of slowing down. Both critics and audiences continue to praise Johnson’s sharp, inventive storytelling.

Third Time’s a Charm: Daniel Craig Returns with a Star-Studded Cast

Third Time’s the charm, and this film proves it. With Wake Up Dead Man, Benoit Blanc faces an all-new ensemble of suspects. Daniel Craig returns as the iconic detective, joined by a powerhouse cast that includes Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church. This third time’s entry in the Knives Out franchise raises the stakes with its most eclectic lineup yet.

Rian Johnson Says Writing Film No. 3 Was Still A Challenge

Even with two acclaimed mysteries behind him, Johnson revealed that crafting the screenplay for the third film was far from simple. While promoting the movie at a press conference, he explained that developing another intricate puzzle with fresh characters, new motives and a different setting proved just as demanding as the previous installments.

Click on the media bar below to hear Rian Johnson explain why developing the third Knives Out screenplay remained such a creative challenge.

Check Out The Trailer

In case you missed it, you can watch the official trailer for Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery below.

The film is now playing in select theaters with Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery set to debut on Netflix on December 12.

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