Oh what a time for fans of Rian Johnson. The recent master of the Benoit Blanc/Knives Out whodunnit franchise took to social media with a rather interesting post that almost looked like he was teasing a surprise Nintendo project. But while we were all debating what it meant, Johnson then dropped something that could potentially mean the end of Daniel Craig’s gentleman detective: the title to Knives Out 3.
Knives Out 3 Has A Really Deadly Title
The next Benoit Blanc mystery has a title, and it makes for quite a mourning. Touted as his “most dangerous case,” Wake Up Dead Man already looks and sounds like a stone cold thriller. Per a social media post that quickly followed an egg based Nintendo image, Rian Johnson broke the news with a quick little tease.
Using a clever Craig voiced tease that recounted titles of mysteries past, the video below gave us our first clues towards the road ahead. Take a look, and a listen, below:
The next Benoit Blanc mystery, the follow-up to Knives Out and Glass Onion, is called Wake Up Dead Man. pic.twitter.com/pdDXRDmwcIMay 24, 2024
Oh, we definitely need to talk this out; starting with the fact that this latest musical reference is from the U2 catalog. The ever clever director behind Star Wars: The Last Jedi has once again pulled inspiration from the realm of songs. Knowing that, we can avoid the mix ups that Johnson saw when assuming Glass Onion’s Beatles reference was common knowledge.
However, another crucial piece of information came in, between that Nintendo themed tweet and the title reveal. And seeing what Rian Johnson has to say below definitely gives away that game:
I love everything about whodunnits, but one of the things I love most is how malleable the genre is. 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. 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.
Oh. Oh wow. So the reason that Wake Up Dead Man may sound as foreboding as it does is because we just might be getting a gravely serious outing. Which would feel like a return to Rian Johnson’s cinematic roots, as the hard boiled thriller Brick marked the writer/director’s arrival at the movies.
That means two things: now’s the perfect time to bring Joseph Gordon Levitt’s Brendan back into play, and there’s a chance that Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc may not make it out alive. The latter point is especially solvent as the future of the Knives Out franchise is hitting a rather interesting juncture in its lifespan.
Why Wake Up Dead Man Could Be An End To The Knives Out Saga
Back in 2021, Netflix’s Knives Out deal made a pretty huge splash, as the streaming giant secured the immediate sequels to Rian Johnson’s Lionsgate based hit for $450 million. However, that deal was made for only two sequels, and Wake Up Dead Man would mark the end of the current obligation. Which is why I said that this three-quel could be an end for Benoit Blanc.
No one can tell how long the Knives Out mysteries will run, as both Rian Johnson and Daniel Craig are busy men who have other projects they probably want to pursue. So by time Wake Up Dead Man hits screens, the band may want to take a break, if not break up altogether. In either event, a new studio home might be in the works, which would also add some time between installments.
Knowing how macabrely funny Mr. Johnson has been with these films, it wouldn’t be that shocking if this third Knives Out movie ends in a hilariously deadly cliffhanger. That way, the question of whether or not we’ll see another chapter in this mystery series becomes even more of a subject of discussion.
That being said, a tonal change could mean this potential trilogy capper could be a more tragic turn for Benoit. Which, while amping up the mysterious future even more, would be yet another No Time To Die style closer. If it worked for Sherlock Holmes and James Bond, it would certainly work out for Benoit Blanc; humorous punch or not.
Relax dear readers, as I’m not here to bury Benoit Blanc, but to praise him and hope that he keeps returning. And to that effect, I must warn you that Wake Up Dead Man won’t be arriving in the graveyard until 2025.
In the meantime you can check out the rundown of 2024 Netflix movie and TV release dates and see the near future holds. And, of course, with a Netflix subscription, you can revisit Glass Onion: a Knives Out mystery, in all of its layers of mystery.