Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is the newest addition in Rian Johnson’s Whodunit Collection. Johnson skillfully intertwines another intricate plot with emotional depth. Returning is our beloved Daniel Craig as detective Benoit Blanc. This standalone sequel offers our readers the chance to engage with the novella without reading the previous entries.
| Director | Rian Johnson |
| Writer | Rian Johnson |
| Producers | Rian Johnson, Ram Bergman |
| Genre | Mystery, Thriller, Comedy |
| Release Date | Streaming on Netflix: 12 December 2025 (India: 1:30 PM IST); Theaters: 26 November 2025 |
| Runtime | 2 hours 24 minutes |
| Cast (Lead) | Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc |
| Cast (Supporting) | Josh O’Connor (Reverend Jud Duplenticy), Glenn Close (Martha Delacroix), Josh Brolin (Monsignor Jefferson Wicks), Mila Kunis (Chief Geraldine Scott), Jeremy Renner (Dr. Nat Sharp), Kerry Washington (Vera Draven), Andrew Scott (Lee Ross), Cailee Spaeny (Simone Vivane), Daryl McCormack (Cy Draven), Thomas Haden Church (Samson Holt) |
| Production Company | T-Street Productions |
| Distributor | Netflix |
| Language | English |
Overview
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Genre
Mystery, Thriller, Comedy
Language
English
Release Date
26 November 2025
Cast & Crew
This will be Rian Johnson’s 2025 Mystery. The third entry in the Knives Out saga will be in the form of a novel after Knives Out and Glass Onion. Rian Johnson and the Knives Out saga is inspired by the greats like Agatha Christie and Edgar Allan Poe. The southern gentleman detective Benoit Blanc will be played by Daniel Craig. Daniel Craig’s performance is probably the most charismatic and introspective southern gentleman’s performance in the world. After all, Benoit Blanc is not just a great detective because of his observational skills. He has a great knack for sensing the motivations that ordinary people do not the most great.
Playing Reverend Jud Duplenticy will garner a lot of “Josh O’Connor Dawson Kudos.” A boxer turned slave preacher. Duplenticy’s fire with the secrets and passions hiding in his parish. Gerlen Close stirs the audience with her oppressive and domineering performance as Martha Delacroix, the enslaved church organizer. And last, in another exhibit of his supreme commanding presence, Josh Brolin plays the overwhelming and powerful Monsignor Jefferson Wicks.
Mila Kunis playing Geraldine Scott, the police chief, Jeremy Renner playing shady town doctor Nat Sharp, Kerry Washington as lawyer and ‘vampire-watching’ Draven, Andrew Scott as the always-paranoid writer Lee Ross, Cailee Spaeny as the cellist Simone Vivane, and Daryl McCormack as the over-achiever Cy Draven, while Thomas Haden Church plays the groundskeeper, Samson Holt. Jeffrey Wright, Noah Segan, and even Joseph Gordon-Levitt in cameo roles all add a fun, quirky familiarity to the film.
Where to Watch
Wake Up Dead Man was screened live for the first time in Toronto at the Toronto International Film Festival on 6 September 2025, to the delight of moviegoers and critics alike. It was released for streaming in select theaters on 26 November 2025, and was available for streaming to those who purchased and rented it a few weeks later.
As of 12 December 2025, any fan who wants to watch the film can do so on Netflix at 1:30 PM in India Standard Time. For most of the world, it can be watched now as well. The film is the most recent addition to Netflix’s available content and surely is one of the most anticipated.
Reasons to Watch
- This one stands out the most due to its gothic style, especially since it is the first of the series to have a darker theme.
- This script is the most morally complex one to come out of the series as it attempts to explore the role of religion in a community and the resulting consequences. This makes the film very thought provoking for adult audiences.
- In this film, Blanc is more of a humorous, but gravity stricken, detective as he attempts to solve the case with a more complex plot.
- For many people, this is O’Connor’s breakout film and she is the one portraying Jud who adds emotional depth to the film.
Videos
Trailer
Teaser
FAQs
What is Wake Up Dead Man about?
A murder has taken place, and Benoit Blanc has to figure out the mystery of a priest being murdered in a greedy, secretive rural parish with a multifaceted tug-of-war between faith, conflict, and hidden wealth.
Is Wake Up Dead Man a sequel to Knives Out?
Yes, this is the third film in the Knives Out series. This film is a stand-alone sequel to the movie Glass Onion, and follows Benoit on a different case.
Who plays Benoit Blanc in Wake Up Dead Man?
Daniel Craig is back for the franchise as the detective with the Southern charm, Benoit Blanc.
When does Wake Up Dead Man release on Netflix in India?
On 12 December 2025, it will be available on Netflix at 1:30 PM IST.
What is the runtime of Wake Up Dead Man?
2 hours and 24 minutes.
Who are the main producers?
Rian Johnson and Ram Bergman are producers under T-Street.
Who plays the police chief in the movie?
Police Chief Geraldine Scott is acted by Mila Kunis.
Can I watch ‘Wake Up Dead Man’ without having seen the other Knives Out films?
Certainly, as it was designed primarily as a mystery in and of itself.
