Everything We Know About 'Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery'

Don't worry, murder-mystery movie fans: Knives Out is returning for a third film. Directed by Rian Johnson and inspired by mystery novels à la Agatha Christie, the Knives Out franchise has become a must-watch for both fans of classic films and casual viewers who've fallen in love with Daniel Craig's performance as the suave Southern detective Benoit Blanc. Arguably, the best thing about the series of films is their variety; after the original movie about the death of a wealthy patriarch became a 2019 box office hit (and cemented itself as a perfect fall movie), Netflix produced the 2022 follow-up Glass Onion, which put Blanc at odds with eccentric billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton). Whether it's the near-absurd settings, A-list ensemble cast, or mind-blowing plot twists, you can bet whodunnit fans would tune into these movies as long as they keep making them.

Luckily, Johnson and Netflix confirmed in 2021 that Knives Out would get not one but two sequels on the platform, and the stage is just about set for Blanc's next case. Below, we're keeping track of everything we know about the third Knives Out film so far.

When will 'Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery' be released?

Netflix has confirmed that the third Knives Out film, Wake Up Dead Man, will receive both a theatrical and a streaming release. When the official trailer dropped (more on that below), the streaming giant announced the film will be released in select theaters on the day before Thanksgiving, Wednesday, November 26, and then on Netflix on Friday, December 12.

It was previously unclear whether the franchise's third installment would be in cinemas before its streaming debut. Originally, only the December 12 release date was announced during a Tudum fan event on May 31, along with a teaser. However, many fans, as well as the cast and crew, were vocal about wanting to see Benoit Blanc and his new suspects on the big screen. Daniel Craig told Variety in a November 2024 cover story, "Hopefully, Netflix will push it out a bit, and people will get to see it. The people I speak to—the fans, I suppose—all they want to do is take their families and go see it at the cinemas. That’s all they want to do. Hopefully, we can give them that experience."

It has been known for some time that Wake Up Dead Man would be released in 2025. In late May 2024, Johnson and Netflix offered a loose release date by sharing a motion-art teaser on X (formerly Twitter) in which the new title appeared, paired with an ominous black casket. In a separate post, Johnson confirmed that the film was set to start production soon.

"I love everything about whodunnits, but one of the things I love most is how malleable the genre is," he wrote in a thread. "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."

A little less than a month later, in June 2024, Netflix announced that Wake Up Dead Man had officially begun filming outside London. Johnson paired the news with a first-look image of Benoit Blanc; in the black-and-white pic, the detective has noticeably longer, perhaps even blonder hair while standing on a soundstage.

"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," Johnson wrote in a post on X about the news.

Who is in the cast of 'Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery?'

In addition to franchise star Daniel Craig, Wake Up Dead Man will also include Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church.

Though he isn't part of the official cast list, we're hopeful that Hugh Grant can make a surprise return to the franchise in another cameo as Blanc's live-in partner Philip, who was introduced in Glass Onion. (Please give us more Phenoit!)

Details about the cast's roles remain scarce. However, early first-look photos revealed O'Connor will be playing a priest. Shots of the Challengers star wearing a clerical collar under plain clothes surfaced during production (inevitably sending the internet into a tizzy). We also know that Brolin will portray another member of the clergy and, more interestingly, the murder victim, as indicated by the trailer.

The new list of cast members will follow in the footsteps of the casts from both the original 2019 film (Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Lakeith Stanfield, and Katherine Langford) and Glass Onion (Janelle Monáe, Kate Hudson, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Dave Bautista, Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline, and Edward Norton).

What is the plot of 'Knives Out 3?'

Like with Glass Onion, Johnson and Netflix are tight-lipped about the plot for Wake Up Dead Man. The trailer gave fans the biggest preview: You can expect a member of the clergy to wind up dead in the middle of a sermon, and a lot of kooky characters to be both at the scene of the crime and potentially involved.

That's all we really know—but Netflix has emphasized it might be the darkest of Blanc's cases yet. In the official Tudum announcement of the film, Craig says in his iconic Southern drawl, "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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Is there a trailer for 'Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery?'

In early September, following the film's premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (where it received rave reviews), Netflix shared the official trailer. In the clip, our father, priest Josh Brolin, steps off the chancel while giving a sermon, only to not return and be found killed moments later, with no murderer in sight.

"This murder was dressed as a miracle. But what happened that night is much, much larger scheme," Blanc, who is on the case, declares, seemingly suspecting that multiple people are involved. His death is then called a "holy mystery" and "unsolvable," O'Connor gives a wildly passionate speech, and there's gothic imagery of old, small-town churches and graveyards. Count us intrigued!

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If you're eager for more footage, Netflix has also shared some with the official date announcement. In the video, which appears to take place in and around an old church in the English countryside, Benoit Blanc says, "The impossible crime. For a man of reason, this is the Holy Grail." He then adds, "This was dressed as a miracle, but it's just a murder. And I solve murders."

The streamer also previously posted a shorter teaser on social media and shared an eerie note...or rather, a Bible verse to hint at how the film is likely set around the happenings at a Catholic church. "The wicked desire the stronghold of evildoers, but the root of the righteous endures," the post says, which is Proverb 12:12. Start theorizing and saying your prayers!