Netflix has released an electrifying new trailer for Wake Up Dead Man A Knives Out Mystery, and fans of the beloved detective franchise are in for a treat unlike anything they’ve experienced before. Daniel Craig is back for his third installment as detective Benoit Blanc in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery — and the “wicked wolves” are on the prowl, as heard in the just-released trailer. This latest chapter promises to deliver the darkest, most personal, and most impossible mystery the dapper detective has ever faced.
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Wake Up Dead Man A Knives Out Mystery: Release Date and Platform Details
The highly anticipated third installment in Rian Johnson’s critically acclaimed franchise will follow a dual-release strategy designed to maximize both theatrical and streaming audiences.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery screens in theaters Nov. 26 and begins streaming on Netflix Dec. 12, giving viewers the choice between experiencing the mystery on the big screen or from the comfort of their homes.
Wake Up Dead Man A Knives Out Mystery Release Schedule
| Release Type | Date | Platform/Venue | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Premiere | September 6, 2025 | Toronto International Film Festival | Festival screening |
| International Premiere | October 8, 2025 | BFI London Film Festival | Festival screening |
| Theatrical Release | November 26, 2025 | Select theaters (North America) | Two-week limited run |
| Streaming Release | December 12, 2025 | Netflix worldwide | Ongoing availability |
This strategic release window allows Wake Up Dead Man A Knives Out Mystery to capitalize on both theatrical revenue and Netflix’s massive streaming audience, following the successful model established by its predecessor, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.
The Plot: A “Perfectly Impossible” Crime
The newly released trailer for Wake Up Dead Man A Knives Out Mystery teases a mystery that even master detective Benoit Blanc finds perplexing. Even for Blanc, the whodunit at the center of Rian Johnson’s latest mystery appears to be “perfectly impossible,” as he says in the video. “This goes way beyond normal police work. This is something even I have not experienced“.
Detective Benoit Blanc teams up with an earnest young priest to investigate a perfectly impossible crime at a small-town church with a dark history. The setting marks a significant departure from the previous films—from a New England mansion in Knives Out to a Greek island paradise in Glass Onion, and now to a small Catholic church in upstate New York.
As Craig’s Blanc says in the trailer: “A man gives a sermon. He then, in plain sight of everyone, walks into a sealed concrete box. Thirty seconds later, that man is lying dead“. This locked-room mystery setup promises to deliver the kind of puzzle that has made the franchise beloved by mystery enthusiasts worldwide.
Star-Studded Ensemble Cast
Wake Up Dead Man A Knives Out Mystery features an impressive ensemble cast that rivals the star power of its predecessors. Daniel Craig returns as the Southern-accented sleuth Benoit Blanc, but he’s joined by an array of acclaimed actors who round out the suspects and supporting characters.
Complete Cast List for Wake Up Dead Man A Knives Out Mystery
| Actor | Character | Role Description |
|---|---|---|
| Daniel Craig | Benoit Blanc | World-renowned private detective |
| Josh O’Connor | Rev. Jud Duplenticy | Young, earnest priest sent to assist the Monsignor |
| Josh Brolin | Msgr. Jefferson Wicks | Charismatic, domineering priest at the church’s center |
| Glenn Close | Martha Delacroix | Devout church lady and Wicks’ right-hand woman |
| Mila Kunis | Geraldine Scott | Local police chief who recruits Blanc |
| Jeremy Renner | Dr. (character name) | Medical professional |
| Kerry Washington | Vera Draven | Lawyer |
| Andrew Scott | Lee Ross | Author |
| Cailee Spaeny | Simone Vivane | Concert cellist |
| Daryl McCormack | Cy Draven | Aspiring politician |
| Thomas Haden Church | Samson Holt | Church groundskeeper |
After a shocking and seemingly impossible murder rocks the town, local police chief Geraldine Scott (Mila Kunis) seeks the services of renowned detective Blanc (of course) to unravel a mystery that defies all logic.
Rian Johnson’s Most Challenging Script
For writer-director Rian Johnson, Wake Up Dead Man A Knives Out Mystery represents his most ambitious entry in the franchise yet. For Academy Award–nominated filmmaker Johnson, this dark and sincere chapter of his murder mystery series “was the hardest script I have ever had to write,” he says.
The challenge stemmed from Johnson’s decision to explore the locked-room mystery subgenre. Wake Up Dead Man, he explains, took inspiration from John Dickson Carr, a detective fiction author whose books focused on the locked-room mystery. “It’s a side alley of the whodunit genre: the impossible crime. A corpse is found in a locked room, a knife in his back, he is alone, and there are no ways in or out“.
Johnson also drew inspiration from clerical mysteries in classic detective fiction. [Agatha] Christie’s Murder at the Vicarage is a classic, but my biggest influence for this film was G.K. Chesterton’s Father Brown stories, which blend theological themes with mystery narratives.
What Makes Wake Up Dead Man A Knives Out Mystery Different
Each entry in the Knives Out franchise has distinguished itself with a unique tone, setting, and thematic focus. Wake Up Dead Man A Knives Out Mystery continues this tradition while pushing into darker territory than its predecessors.
At Deadline’s Contenders London event last month, Johnson said Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is more traditional in structure than the previous two installments, Glass Onion and Knives Out. “The reality of this movie, it has almost like a more traditional murder mystery structure,” he explained. “This is how most Agatha Christie books work, where in the first act you meet all the suspects, you meet the protagonist, who’s not the detective. Then the murder happens, and the detective shows up“.
The religious setting also allows Johnson to explore themes of faith, morality, and community in ways the previous films haven’t touched. Playing the young priest at the center of this church community’s crisis of faith, O’Connor was floored when he read Johnson’s script. “What made me want to do the movie was the balance between comedy and Rian’s writing, which is always uncovering something that we don’t often see in a comedy,” says the actor.
Critical Reception and Early Reviews
Wake Up Dead Man A Knives Out Mystery has already screened at major film festivals, generating positive buzz from critics and audiences alike. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 94% of 89 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.2/10.
Early reviews praise Daniel Craig’s performance, with many considering it his best turn as Benoit Blanc yet. The ensemble cast receives particular acclaim, with Josh O’Connor and Glenn Close highlighted as standouts. The film’s visual style, darker tone, and intricate mystery plotting have all been noted as strengths that set it apart from the previous installments.
The Visual Style: Gothic Horror Meets Classic Mystery
Wake Up Dead Man A Knives Out Mystery represents a significant visual evolution for the franchise. The trailer reveals a shift to a more gothic, high-stakes investigation centered on a religious murder, with cinematographer Steve Yedlin bringing a richer, more textured look to the proceedings.
The church setting allows for atmospheric lighting, religious iconography, and architectural elements that create a more foreboding atmosphere than the sun-drenched Greek island of Glass Onion or the cozy New England estate of the original Knives Out.
Daniel Craig’s Commitment to the Character
After premiering at TIFF in September, Craig reflected on being a part of the trilogy, which he described as “a constant surprise,” while remembering Johnson’s first script for “Knives Out.” “We made it with no ambition whatsoever,” he told Variety. “Just let’s do the best movie we can. And it became something, and then here we are“.
Craig has expressed openness to continuing the franchise as long as the quality remains high. Craig continued, acknowledging that he’s open to revisiting his character and solving more mysteries in the future. “These movies have to work at a very, very high level, otherwise there’s no point in doing them,” he said. “So as long as they’re doing that, we’ll keep doing them“.
The Franchise’s Impressive Track Record
The Knives Out franchise has been both a critical and commercial success for writer-director Rian Johnson and Netflix. The original Knives Out (2019) earned over $311 million worldwide on a $40 million budget and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, released in 2022, generated significant viewership on Netflix despite a limited theatrical run, proving the streaming platform’s investment in the franchise was worthwhile. Netflix reportedly paid over $400 million for the rights to two Knives Out sequels in March 2021, making it one of the largest deals in streaming history.
What to Expect from the Mystery
Without spoiling the intricate plot, Wake Up Dead Man A Knives Out Mystery promises to deliver everything fans love about the franchise: clever twists, misdirection, memorable characters, sharp dialogue, and a satisfying resolution that rewards attentive viewers. Like Kunis’s police chief says in the trailer, there certainly is some “Scooby-Doo shit going on here”.
The film’s structure as a locked-room mystery means viewers who pay close attention to visual clues and dialogue may be able to solve the case alongside Benoit Blanc—a challenge that Johnson deliberately builds into his scripts for eagle-eyed mystery fans.
The Future of the Franchise
In October 2025, Johnson stated that he had nothing planned for a fourth film in the series, jokingly asking a The 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 have fun doing them.
Johnson also said he is planning to take a break from the Knives Out franchise, which he launched in 2019. He is working on a new script, which he described as “something completely different, an original thing”. However, given the franchise’s success and the creative team’s enthusiasm, it seems likely that Benoit Blanc will return for future mysteries.
Read More: Knives Out 3 Release Date Confirmed: Wake Up Dead Man Brings Benoit Blanc’s Darkest Case Yet
FAQs
When does Wake Up Dead Man A Knives Out Mystery release?
Wake Up Dead Man A Knives Out Mystery releases in select theaters on November 26, 2025, followed by its Netflix streaming debut on December 12, 2025. The theatrical run will last approximately two weeks before the film becomes available on the streaming platform.
Who stars in Wake Up Dead Man A Knives Out Mystery?
Daniel Craig returns as detective Benoit Blanc, joined by an ensemble cast including Josh O’Connor, Josh Brolin, Glenn Close, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church.
What is Wake Up Dead Man A Knives Out Mystery about?
The film follows Benoit Blanc as he investigates a “perfectly impossible” murder at a small Catholic church in upstate New York. A man walks into a sealed concrete box in plain sight and is found dead thirty seconds later, defying all logical explanation.
Do I need to watch the previous Knives Out movies first?
No, Wake Up Dead Man A Knives Out Mystery is a standalone film like the previous entries in the franchise. Each movie features a completely different case, setting, and cast of suspects, with only Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc connecting them.
Will there be a fourth Knives Out movie?
While nothing is confirmed, both Rian Johnson and Daniel Craig have expressed willingness to make more films in the series as long as they remain creatively challenging and audiences continue to enjoy them. However, Johnson plans to work on other projects before potentially returning to the franchise.
