Rian Johnson Reveals ‘Knives Out 3’ Title: ‘Wake Up Dead Man’
Rian Johnson has officially confirmed the title of Netflix’s “Knives Out 3.”
The writer/director announced the third installment as “Wake Up Dead Man” on social media Friday morning. Daniel Craig reprises his role of detective Benoit Blanc in the anthology film series, produced by Johnson and Ram Bergman. Craig narrates the video, saying, “In the beginning, the knives came out. Then, behold, the glass was shattered. But my most dangerous case yet is about to be revealed.”
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Johnson additionally tweeted, “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.”
The writer/director also shared why he loves whodunits like the Agatha Christie stories that inspired the franchise.
“I love everything about whodunnits, but one of the things I love most is how malleable the genre is,” Johnson wrote. “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.”
The film franchise began in 2019 with “Knives Out,” followed by 2022’s “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.”
Now, “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” will release in 2025. The first “Knives Out” was distributed in theaters by Lionsgate in 2019, while Netflix gave “Glass Onion” a week-long theatrical play before its streaming debut.
Johnson previously told The Atlantic that he resented the “A Knives Out Mystery” tag for the films’ titles, instead hoping that each installment could be appreciated as its own feature.
“I’ve tried hard to make them self-contained,” Johnson said. “Honestly, I’m pissed off that we have ‘A Knives Out Mystery’ in the title. You know? I want it to just be called ‘Glass Onion.’ I get it, and I want everyone who liked the first movie to know this is next in the series, but also, the whole appeal to me is it’s a new novel off the shelf every time. But there’s a gravity of a thousand suns toward serialized storytelling.”
Johnson previously confirmed a third “Knives Out” film for Netflix as part of his two-sequel deal valued at $450 million. There is no word yet if the “Knives Out” cinematic universe will extend beyond the trilogy, but actor Craig has shared that he is along for the ride with Johnson, however long it may be.
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