Rian Johnson's "Knives Out" series has once again graced the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) with its presence, marking the third consecutive premiere of the franchise at the festival. On Saturday night, September 6, 2025, Johnson unveiled the latest installment, "Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery," at Toronto's Princess of Wales Theatre. Like its predecessors, "Knives Out" and "Glass Onion," the premiere drew a constellation of stars and generated significant buzz, making it one of the festival's most sought-after tickets.

Johnson expressed his fondness for TIFF, stating it's his "favorite place to be in the world," while reminiscing about the previous successful premieres of the first two "Knives Out" films at the festival. "Wake Up Dead Man" is considered by many to be the darkest, most intricate, and star-studded mystery in the "Knives Out" trilogy. While maintaining the series' characteristic wit with references to "Star Wars" and "Scooby Doo," the film delves into more ambitious and existential themes.

Daniel Craig reprises his role as the astute detective Benoit Blanc, who finds himself entangled in a murder case within a local church, exploring themes of truth, lies, and grace. The ensemble cast includes Josh O'Connor as a young priest named Jud Duplenticy, Josh Brolin as the Monsignor, and Glenn Close as a devout parishioner. The film also features Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Daryl McCormack, Andrew Scott, Kerry Washington, Thomas Haden Church, and Cailee Spaeny.

Johnson shared his vision for the film, stating that after the first movie's cozy, Agatha Christie-esque family mystery and the second's extravagant vacation mystery, this installment returns to the genre's roots. He drew inspiration from Edgar Allan Poe, John Dickson Carr, and G.K. Chesterton's Father Brown mysteries, incorporating gothic elements and exploring religious themes.

Following the screening, the cast members expressed their enthusiasm for joining Johnson's "Knives Out" family. Jeremy Renner likened the experience to "winning the lottery," while Kerry Washington compared it to being part of an all-star team. Daniel Craig humorously noted the challenge of "herding cats" with such a large and talented cast.

"Wake Up Dead Man" is set to open in select theaters on November 26 for a two-week limited engagement before streaming on Netflix beginning December 12. The "Knives Out" series has found a successful home on Netflix, with the streaming giant acquiring the rights to the sequels for $400 million after the first film, released by Lionsgate in 2019, grossed $312 million worldwide. Despite Netflix's focus on streaming, "Glass Onion: Knives Out 2" had a theatrical run in 696 theaters in 2022, including major chains like AMC, Regal, and Cinemark.

TIFF has a reputation for showcasing crowd-pleasing films, and the "Knives Out" series fits that bill perfectly. The festival has served as a launchpad for films like "Hustlers," "Heretic," "Halloween," and "Widows," all of which garnered enthusiasm from critics and audiences alike. Rian Johnson has stated that the fans of the Toronto International Film Festival are a reason why he's picked the festival for the world-wide premiere of his "Knives Out" franchise three times in a row.