What You Should Know About Knives Out 3: Netflix’s Wake Up Dead Man
‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.’
Credit:
John Wilson/Netflix
Key Information
- Daniel Craig will reprise his role in the third Knives Out installment.
- New cast members include Josh O’Connor and Glenn Close.
- The first teaser showcased Craig’s Benoit Blanc tackling “the impossible crime.”
Fans of Knives Out can rejoice as Benoit Blanc, portrayed by Daniel Craig, returns for another thrilling case.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, the third film in the acclaimed murder mystery series, is set to premiere on Netflix following a limited theatrical release starting November 26.
The franchise’s continued success, following the beloved Knives Out and its sequel Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, was solidified in March 2021 when Netflix announced its acquisition of the Knives Out rights in a reported $400 million deal, which included the second and third films, according to Deadline.
Filming wrapped in August 2024, during which several tantalizing details were revealed by Craig and Rian Johnson, the writer and director of the preceding films.
The first teaser offers a glimpse of Blanc as he seeks to unravel the “holy grail” of mysteries.
Here’s a breakdown of what to expect from Knives Out 3, alternatively known as Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.
Release Details
‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.’
Courtesy of Netflix
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery will premiere in select theaters on November 26 and will be available for streaming on Netflix starting December 12.
Cast Insights
‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.’
John Wilson/Netflix
Daniel Craig is set to reprise his role as Benoit Blanc in this latest chapter. With Johnson characterizing the trilogy as an anthology, it is unlikely that cast members from Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery will return.
Joining Craig is a fresh ensemble that includes Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Andrew Scott, Josh O’Connor, Kerry Washington, Jeremy Renner, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church.
Glenn Close is a notable addition to the cast. In August 2024, she described her experience filming as, “truly one of the best experiences of my life.”
“I’m filming in London with Rian Johnson,” she continued. “He’s such a fine human being. He’s kind, he’s brilliant. He has a great laugh!”
Close praised Johnson for assembling a “cast from heaven.”
Plot Synopsis
‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.’
Netflix
The official logline indicates that Benoit Blanc collaborates with “an earnest young priest to investigate a perfectly impossible crime at a small-town church with a dark history.”
Johnson revealed that the church setting inspired rich themes: “Themes of guilt, mystery, morality, and fallible humanity all feel right at home in a church, with a man of God in the center of the mix.”
He continued, “I have strong feelings about faith: both my own personal experience and how it intersects with our country’s cultural and civic life, and the ways that intersection touches all of us differently, so it felt like rich ground for a good story.”
A clip shared by Netflix states this will be Blanc’s “most dangerous case yet.”
Official Trailers
‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.’
Netflix
A trailer for Wake Up Dead Man was released in November 2025, showcasing Craig’s Benoit attempting to solve the murder of Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Brolin), stating, “With all the pieces on the table, this crime appears impossible.”
A teaser trailer previously debuted in May 2025.
Directorial Team
Director Rian Johnson.
Dave J Hogan/Getty
Rian Johnson returns to direct the third installment, reprising his role as writer for the project as well.
Future Installments
Rian Johnson and Daniel Craig.
John Wilson/Netflix
Although Netflix has not yet greenlit a fourth film, Johnson has expressed a willingness to continue the series if a compelling script is presented.
Johnson noted, “If each one of these can really be what Agatha Christie did, if it can be not just in a totally new location and a new cast, but also trying something exciting, I’ll keep doing it as long as Daniel [Craig] and I are having a good time.” Likewise, Craig emphasized the importance of audience interest, stating, “If people are interested, then we’ll make them. But if there ever came a point where either Rian and I thought we were just churning them out, I think we would back away.”
