The film series commenced in 2019 with Knives Out, which was met with critical acclaim, particularly for its screenplay, direction, and acting, from both audience and film critics. It grossed $311.4 million worldwide against a $40 million budget. After the first film's success, the streaming service Netflix bought the exclusive rights to two Knives Out sequels for over $400million. The second film Glass Onion was also released to a positive critical reception in 2022,[4] though its limited theatrical release led to a lower monetary performance.[3]
The third film, Wake Up Dead Man, began production in June 2024,[5] and was released in November 2025.[6][7]
Before the release of Knives Out, Johnson said he would like to create sequels with Benoit Blanc investigating further mysteries, and that he already had an idea for a sequel.[14][15] In January 2020, Johnson confirmed that he was writing a sequel, intended to focus on Blanc investigating a new mystery. Craig was expected to reprise his role, and acknowledged interest in the project.[16] By February 2020, Lionsgate announced that a sequel had been officially green-lit for production.[17]
In March 2021, Netflix bought the rights to two Knives Out sequels for $450million and that filming would begin in June 2021, in Greece. Despite Lionsgate's prior announcement that they had approved a sequel, reports indicate that Johnson and Bergman retained the sequel rights, which they shopped to other distributors without the involvement of Lionsgate or MRC.[18][19] In April 2021, Curtis confirmed that the Thrombey family from the first film would not be returning for the sequel, while elaborating on what each family member has been up to since the end of the first installment.[20] The cast was rounded out in May and June 2021, with Dave Bautista, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Kate Hudson, Madelyn Cline and Jessica Henwick added in undisclosed roles.[21][22][23][24][25][26][27]
Principal photography officially commenced on June 28, 2021 in Greece and concluded that September.[28] In June 2022, the official title was revealed to be Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. The film was released on December 23, 2022, with Netflix considering a 45-day theatrical exclusive debut prior to its streaming release.[29][30]
In March 2021, it was reported that Netflix had agreed to pay $450million for the rights to two sequels to be written and directed by Johnson, with Craig reprising his role as detective Benoit Blanc.[18][19] In June 2022, Johnson revealed that "Knives Out 3" was a working title with his intent being that each film has a distinct title, citing the works of Agatha Christie as his inspiration for the films and the individual titles.[29]
By January 2023, Johnson confirmed that he had started writing the script for the third film, stating that it will be tonally and thematically different from the previous installments.[31] The filmmaker later stated that though he had approved the subtitle of A Knives Out Mystery for the previous installment, he would like to rename the series and add A Benoit Blanc Mystery as subtitles to future installments.[32]
In October 2023, following the adherence to the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike and the resolution thereof, Johnson announced that he had started working on the script for the third film. The filmmaker stated that he has the premise planned, and could begin writing again.[33] In May 2024, the film's official title was announced as Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery with the release of an official teaser trailer narrated by Daniel Craig in character as Benoit Blanc.[6] Principal photography was initially scheduled to commence in fall 2024, in London;[34][35][36] though in June of the same year, Johnson announced that filming had commenced.[5][37] The film is slated for release in November 2025.
Short Films
Forks Out (2025)
Forks Out is a short parody crossover released by Netflix and Sesame Workshop in December 2025. The sketch combines elements of the Knives Out film series with the long-running children’s program Sesame Street. It introduces Beignet Blanc, a puppet detective modeled after Benoit Blanc, the character portrayed by Daniel Craig in the original films. The parody was timed to coincide with the release of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, the third installment in the franchise.[38]
In the segment, Cookie Monster discovers that his triple berry pie has been eaten, prompting Beignet Blanc to investigate. The detective, voiced by Sesame Street performer Mike Vogel, speaks in a Southern drawl and sports blonde hair reminiscent of Craig’s portrayal. Supporting characters such as Elmo, Zoe, Grover, and Oscar the Grouch appear as suspects or witnesses. Grover humorously suggests that filmmaker Rian Johnson himself could be responsible, while Beignet Blanc rules out Cookie Monster and Oscar as culprits.[38]
The parody emphasizes comedic misdirection and detective tropes, reframing the noir logic of Knives Out into a family-friendly context. Netflix promoted the sketch on social media, captioning it as “Beignet Blanc stars in FORKS OUT. A @SesameStreet whodunnit,” highlighting the playful crossover appeal.[39]
Reception to Forks Out was generally positive, with coverage noting its clever blending of murder mystery conventions and Muppet humor. Commentators described the video as “sharp and silly” while also serving as a promotional tie-in for Wake Up Dead Man.[39] Daniel Craig himself reacted to the parody, expressing amusement at seeing his character reimagined as a puppet detective.[40]
The crossover was notable for fulfilling long-standing fan speculation about a potential Knives Out–Muppet collaboration. While director Rian Johnson had previously dismissed the idea of a full film crossover, Forks Out provided a lighthearted alternative that acknowledged the cultural demand for such a mash-up.[41]
Future
In September 2022, Craig and Johnson both separately stated that they would continue making additional films in the series, as long as they were both involved.[42] In January 2023, Johnson stated that a suggestion from fans to create a Benoit Blanc mystery film with The Muppets as the supporting cast had inspired him. The writer/director said that he seriously considered this as an option, but ultimately decided that it would be impossible to properly balance both intellectual properties.[43] That same month, the filmmaker acknowledged the realization for a possible Knives OutChristmas special.[44]
In October 2025, Johnson stated that he had nothing planned for a fourth film in the series, jokingly asking a Hollywood Reporter interviewer if he could offer him ideas, though he did express a willingness to make another film as long as he and Craig had fun doing them, finding them challenging to make and coming up with new plots as well as audiences enjoy them.[45] The following month, it was announced that Johnson and Craig were "starting to formulate ideas" for a potential fourth Knives Out film.[46]
Recurring cast and characters
List indicators
This section includes characters who will appear or have appeared in two or more releases in the franchise.
An empty grey cell indicates the character was not in the film, or that the character's official presence has not yet been confirmed.
A indicates an appearance through archival footage or audio.
C indicates a cameo role.
E indicates an appearance not included in the theatrical cut.
M indicates an appearance in onscreen movie footage.
O indicates an older version of the character.
P indicates an appearance in onscreen photographs.
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