- Lands on Netflix in December
- Will get a limited threatrical release in late November
- Written and directed by Rian Johnson
- First trailer released in September
- Daniel Craig returning as Benoit Blanc
- Ensemble cast of A-listers set to join Craig
- Plot synopsis revealed
- No word on whether a fourth Knives Out movie will be made
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is set to give Benoit Blanc (and, by proxy, viewers) another case to solve. The Netflix whodunit, which lands on the service on December 12, will turn us all into amateur detectives once more as we try to best Blanc in unearthing the culprit before he does.
There's plenty of pre-release evidence to pore over before the murder mystery flick arrives, though. In this guide, you'll find the latest information on the Rian Johnson-written and directed film, including more on its cast, plot, trailer, and the franchise's future.
Possible spoilers follow for Knives Out 3, so consider this to be your first and only warning if you're avoiding them before seeing the movie.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery release date
Not all secrets can stay buried.Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is in select theaters November 26 and on Netflix December 12. pic.twitter.com/D1e88r7UwISeptember 2, 2025
Knives Out 3 is due out on Netflix, aka the world's best streaming service on December 12, 2025.
Good as it was to get confirmation about the movie's launch date at Tudum 2025, Netflix detectives solved the mystery of Wake Up, Dead Man's release date prior to this announcement. So, it wasn't a big surprise to some of us.
Since that launch date reveal, Netflix has confirmed Wake Up Dead Man will also come out in theaters. However, it'll only be available to see on the big screen between November 28 and December 12 so, if you plan to watching it before it drops on Netflix, you'll need to be quick.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery trailer
The first trailer for Knives Out 3 landed online on September 8 and heavily implied it'll be Benoit Blanc's trickiest and most dangerous cast yet.
Before then, the only footage we had to pore over was what was included in the movie's release date announcement teaser, which you can view below.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery cast
Here's the confirmed cast for Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery:
- Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc
- Josh O'Connor as Reverend Jud Duplenticy
- Glenn Close as Martha Delacroix
- Josh Brolin as Monsignor Jefferson Wicks
- Mila Kunis as Geraldine Scott
- Jeremy Renner as Doctor Nat Sharp
- Kerry Washington as Vera Draven
- Andrew Scott as Lee Ross
- Cailee Spaeny as Simone Vivane
- Daryl McCormack as Cy Draven
- Thomas Haden Church as Samson Holt
Unsurprisingly, Craig is back as the louche Blanc. Following his exploits as infamous British spy James Bond, Craig is getting a kick out of being the Knives Out film series' recurring protagonist. He's had a little makeover for this new outing, too with everyone's favorite bumbling detective sporting longer hair and a little stubble, albeit with a typically dandy suit and hat.
Just like the previous two Knives Out films, Blanc is joined by an eclectic group of characters.
The first of many cast additions came last May, with Spaeny and O'Connor confirmed to have signed up. Less than 24 hours later, Knives Out 3 was confirmed to be a mini Bond reunion after Scott was revealed as part of the cast. He starred opposite Craig in Spectre (find out where it sits in our how to watch best Daniel Craig Bond movies ranked article while you're here).
Renner, Kunis, Close, and Washington were added to Wake Up Dead Man's roster a day after Scott was said to have signed on. The final three additions – Josh Brolin, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church – were revealed before May 2024 ended.
As for who this talented collection is playing: O'Connor is a young priest who's sent to assist Brolin's firebrand monsignor as part of a local church's clergy. Close's Delacroix is a devout member of said congregation, with Church's Holt being its groundskeeper.
Meanwhile, Kunis' Scott is a local police chief, Renner's Sharp is the town's doctor, McCormack's Draven is an aspiring politician, Washington's Lynn, is a tightly-wound lawyer, Scott's Ross is a best-selling author, Spaeny's Vivane is a concert cellist.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery story synopsis and speculation
Here's a brief story synopsis, courtesy of Netflix: "When a young priest is sent to assist an charismatic firebrand, it’s clear that all is not well in the pews. After a sudden and seemingly impossible murder rocks the town, the lack of an obvious suspect prompts a local police chief to join forces with renowned detective Benoit Blanc to unravel a mystery that defies all logic."
Prior to that plot brief's unveiling, we didn't know much about Wake Up Dead Man. Indeed, its logline – "Benoit Blanc's most dangerous case yet" – and Knives Out 3's official title, which was revealed in May 2024, were the only major public details that had been released.
Regardless, the franchise's third installment won't be wholly different to what's comes before. What ties the previous movies together – aside from the, you know, murders – are themes of class war, inequality, fame, and the skewering of the one percenters. It’s likely some or all of these issues will continue to have a light shone on them in Knives Out 3.
Will there be a fourth Knives Out movie?
There's no official word on whether a fourth film will be made. If one is, it's unclear it'll launch on Netflix, too, with the streaming giant only signing a deal with Johnson to make two Knives Out movies at a cot of $400 million in March 2021 (per Deadline).
However, Johnson and Craig have said they want to continue making more as long as they can. Speaking with Variety in 2022, Craig said: "If he [Johnson] keeps writing them, I’ll keep doing them. That’s what makes it easy – he’s such a wonderful writer that it’s there on the page for me to do."
Chatting to Variety again – this time at 2025's Toronto International Film Festival – Craig doubled-down on those comments, adding he and Johnson would be happy to tell more tales involving Blanc as long as audiences turned up to enjoy them.
That said, the duo are conscious of the 'quality versus quantity' debate. Speaking with Deadline in November 2022 about a possible fourth movie in the Knives Out franchise, Craig said: "If there ever came a point where either Rian and I thought we were just churning them out, I think we would back away. I mean, I just don’t think that’s what either of us want to do in life. Unless people are getting genuine fun out of them, forget it."
For more Netflix coverage, read our guides on Stranger Things season 5, Bridgerton season 4, One Piece season 2, and Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2.
Benoit Blanc returns in his most dangerous case yet. pic.twitter.com/Y3IFryNNi4May 24, 2024
