This Friday marks the official Netflix debut of one of the streamer’s most anticipated films of the year: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. True, the film technically isn’t “new” anymore. Netflix gave it a solid two-week theatrical window, and it’s been playing in cinemas nationwide. But let’s be honest: a massive portion of the audience has been waiting for the at-home release, where it’s poised to become Netflix’s defining holiday hit.
We’ve been covering this third Knives Out film extensively, starting with its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, where I reviewed it. This latest entry takes a noticeably darker turn than the first two, digging into themes of faith, guilt, and empathy.
At the center of the mystery is a former boxer turned priest, played by Josh O’Connor, who finds himself investigating the death of a mean-spirited Monsignor in his parish—only to end up the prime suspect. And who better to call when things get messy than Benoit Blanc?
Interestingly, Blanc’s role is a bit smaller this time. He doesn’t enter the story until the film’s second half. Writer-director Rian Johnson made the choice intentionally, wanting to re-energize the formula and shift the perspective toward O’Connor’s conflicted priest.
I recently had the chance to take part in the Wake Up Dead Man virtual press junket. While I only landed one interview slot, the pairing was about as good as it gets: Daniel Craig and Rian Johnson. For a lifelong Bond fan, talking to Craig always comes with a bolt of nerves — having already interviewed him once before for No Time to Die, when he was super friendly and charming. But as expected, he couldn’t have been more gracious. In the interview, I try to keep the Bond fandom in check and focus instead on his other iconic role: Benoit Blanc.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery hits Netflix this Friday and is fully expected to dominate holiday viewing.
