Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery — Daniel Craig, Josh O'Connor, and Cailee Spaeny Headline Benoit Blanc's Darkest Case Yet

Benoit Blanc is dusting off his linen suits and southern drawl once again. Writer-director Rian Johnson and streaming giant Netflix are gearing up for the premiere of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, the eagerly awaited third installment in the billion-dollar whodunit franchise that has completely redefined the murder mystery genre for modern millennials.

Former James Bond star Daniel Craig returns to anchor the mystery as the eccentric, donut-hole-obsessed master sleuth Benoit Blanc. But while 2019’s original Knives Out gave us autumnal New England gothic and 2022’s Glass Onion delivered sun-drenched Mediterranean satire, Johnson has officially confirmed that Wake Up Dead Man leans into a far moodier, spine-chilling gothic tone inspired by classic Agatha Christie locked-room tales and British folklore.

An Insanely Star-Studded Suspect List

As with every Benoit Blanc case, the true thrill lies in the powerhouse ensemble of murder suspects. This time around, Johnson and casting director Mary Vernieu have gathered arguably the most electric cast of the entire trilogy. Leading the suspect gallery are millennial darlings Josh O'Connor (Challengers, The Crown) and Cailee Spaeny (Priscilla, Alien: Romulus, Civil War), two of the most sought-after actors in cinema today.

Joining them is "Hot Priest" himself, Emmy nominee Andrew Scott (Ripley, Fleabag), alongside Hollywood veterans eight-time Oscar nominee Glenn Close (Fatal Attraction, Hillbilly Elegy), Kerry Washington (Scandal), and Marvel star Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye, Mayor of Kingstown). The ensemble also features Mila Kunis (Black Swan), Daryl McCormack (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, Bad Sisters), Thomas Haden Church (Sideways, Spider-Man 3), and Josh Brolin (Dune: Part Two, Avengers: Endgame).

Why Millennial Moviegoers Can't Get Enough of Benoit Blanc

For millennials raised on childhood board games like Clue and nostalgic rainy-day reruns of Columbo and Murder, She Wrote, Rian Johnson’s detective universe fills a distinct void in the streaming landscape. In an era dominated by sprawling CGI superhero sagas, Knives Out revitalized original studio filmmaking: smart screenplays, wickedly sharp social commentary, razor-sharp costume design, and a genuine puzzle box that rewards active viewer participation.

Produced by Ram Bergman and Johnson under their T-Street Productions banner in partnership with Netflix, Wake Up Dead Man takes its evocative title from U2’s 1997 album Pop, continuing Johnson's clever tradition of naming each Blanc chapter after iconic rock tracks (following Radiohead’s "Knives Out" and The Beatles’ "Glass Onion").

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is slated to debut in select worldwide theaters before streaming globally on Netflix.