Daniel Craig is set to reprise his role as the astute detective Benoit Blanc in the upcoming third installment of the "Knives Out" series, titled "Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery". The film promises to be Blanc's most dangerous case yet.

Release Date and Distribution

"Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery" is scheduled for a limited theatrical release starting November 26, 2025, before it becomes available on Netflix on December 12, 2025. Netflix has confirmed a two-week theatrical window in select cinemas in the US. The film will also premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival on September 6 and open the BFI London Film Festival on October 8.

Director Rian Johnson has expressed his desire for a broader theatrical release, contrasting with Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos' view of traditional cinema releases as "outdated".

Plot and Setting

While specific plot details are scarce, "Wake Up Dead Man" is expected to be the darkest chapter in the "Knives Out" series. The film is set in a quaint New England town and centers around a local church and its eccentric parishioners. Following a sudden and seemingly impossible murder, a local police chief, Geraldine Scott (Mila Kunis), joins forces with Benoit Blanc to unravel a mystery that defies all logic. The official synopsis teases a murder mystery set within a tightly wound religious community.

Blanc will investigate a locked-room murder case where divine intervention appears to be the prime suspect. He will also team up with a local priest, Rev. Jud Duplenticy (Josh O'Connor), as his partner.

Cast

Alongside Daniel Craig, "Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery" boasts an ensemble cast:

• Josh O'Connor as Rev. Jud Duplenticy, a priest
• Glenn Close as Martha Delacroix
• Josh Brolin as Msgr. Jefferson Wicks, a priest
• Mila Kunis as Geraldine Scott, a police chief
• Jeremy Renner as Dr. Nat Sharp
• Kerry Washington as Vera Draven
• Andrew Scott as Lee Ross
• Cailee Spaeny as Simone Vivane
• Daryl McCormack as Cy Draven
• Thomas Haden Church as Samson Holt

Production

Rian Johnson is writing, directing, and co-producing "Wake Up Dead Man". Ram Bergman is also serving as a producer. Filming commenced on June 10, 2024, at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden, London, and wrapped on August 17, 2024.

Inspiration

Rian Johnson drew inspiration from Edgar Allan Poe's "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" and G.K. Chesterton's Father Brown mysteries. The title "Wake Up Dead Man" follows the series' tradition of naming films after rock songs. The first film, "Knives Out," was named after a Radiohead song, while "Glass Onion" took its name from a Beatles track. "Wake Up Dead Man" is most likely named after the U2 song of the same name.