Knives Out (film series)
Knives Out is a series of American murder mystery films created by Rian Johnson, who also serves as the writer, director, and co-producer of all films. Commenced in 2019 with Knives Out, each film follows a different group of people involved in a classic whodunnit, with Benoit Blanc being the only recurring character across the 3 films. These films include a wide cast of notable actors, including Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Josh O'Connor, and Glenn Close among others, with Johnson's closest collaborators Noah Segan and Joseph Gordon-Levitt appearing in small roles and cameos, respectively. Each film in the franchise is named after a song by a rock band: "Knives Out" by Radiohead, "Glass Onion" by The Beatles, and "Wake Up Dead Man" by U2.
All three films received strong positive reception from both critics and audiences, particularly its screenplay, direction, and acting, grossing for a combined total of $327.8 million worldwide.
Films
''Knives Out'' (2019)
In developing the film, Johnson cited several classic mystery thrillers and mystery comedies as influences, including The Last of Sheila, Murder on the Orient Express, Something's Afoot, Murder by Death, Death on the Nile, The Private Eyes, The Mirror Crack'd, Evil Under the Sun, Deathtrap, Clue, and Gosford Park. The 1972 version of Sleuth, a favorite "whodunit adjacent" of Johnson's, was also an inspiration, particularly for the setting and set design, including the automaton, Jolly Jack the Sailor. The title was taken from the 2001 Radiohead song "Knives Out"; Johnson, a Radiohead fan, said: "Obviously, the movie has nothing to do with the song... That turn of phrase has always stuck in my head. And it just seemed like a great title for a murder mystery." The name Harlan Thrombey is taken from a 1981 Choose Your Own Adventure whodunit, Who Killed Harlowe Thrombey?The film had its world premiere at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2019, and was theatrically released in the United States on November 27 by Lionsgate Films. The film received critical acclaim, particularly for its screenplay, direction, and acting. At the 77th Golden Globe Awards, it received three nominations in the Musical or Comedy category, while also receiving Best Original Screenplay nominations at the 73rd British Academy Film Awards and 92nd Academy Awards. It was selected by the American Film Institute and the National Board of Review as one of the top ten films of 2019.
''Glass Onion'' (2022)
Before the release of Knives Out, Johnson said he would like to create sequels with Benoit Blanc investigating further mysteries, and that he already had an idea for a sequel. In January 2020, Johnson confirmed that he was writing a sequel, intended to focus on Blanc investigating a new mystery. Craig was expected to reprise his role, and acknowledged interest in the project. By February 2020, Lionsgate announced that a sequel had been officially green-lit for production.In March 2021, Netflix bought the rights to two Knives Out sequels for $450million and it was announced that filming would begin in June 2021, in Greece. Despite Lionsgate's prior announcement that they had approved a sequel, reports indicate that Johnson and Bergman retained the sequel rights, which they shopped to other distributors without the involvement of Lionsgate or MRC. In April 2021, Curtis confirmed that the Thrombey family from the first film would not be returning for the sequel, while elaborating on what each family member has been up to since the end of the first installment. The cast was rounded out in May and June 2021, with Dave Bautista, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Kate Hudson, Madelyn Cline and Jessica Henwick added in undisclosed roles.
Principal photography officially commenced on June 28, 2021 in Greece and concluded that September. In June 2022, the official title was revealed to be Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. The film was released on December 23, 2022, with Netflix considering a 45-day theatrical exclusive debut prior to its streaming release.
''Wake Up Dead Man'' (2025)
In March 2021, it was reported that Netflix had agreed to pay $450 million for the rights to two sequels to be written and directed by Johnson, with Craig reprising his role as detective Benoit Blanc. In June 2022, Johnson revealed that "Knives Out 3" was a working title with his intent being that each film has a distinct title, citing the works of Agatha Christie as his inspiration for the films and the individual titles.By January 2023, Johnson confirmed that he had started writing the script for the third film, stating that it will be tonally and thematically different from the previous installments. The filmmaker later stated that though he had approved the subtitle of A Knives Out Mystery for the previous installment, he would like to rename the series and add A Benoit Blanc Mystery as subtitles to future installments.
In October 2023, following the adherence to the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike and the resolution thereof, Johnson announced that he had started working on the script for the third film. The filmmaker stated that he has the premise planned, and could begin writing again. In May 2024, the film's official title was announced as Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery with the release of an official teaser trailer narrated by Daniel Craig in character as Benoit Blanc. Principal photography was initially scheduled to commence in fall 2024, in London; though in June of the same year, Johnson announced that filming had commenced. The film was released on December 12, 2025.
Future
In September 2022, Craig and Johnson both separately stated that they would continue making additional films in the series, as long as they were both involved. In January 2023, the filmmaker acknowledged the realization for a possible Knives Out Christmas special.In October 2025, Johnson stated that he had nothing planned for a fourth film in the series while jokingly asking an interviewer for ideas. The filmmaker acknowledged intentions to continue making Knives Out movies, for as long as he and Craig continue enjoying the filmmaking process. Johnson noted that any future projects depend on the success of the third film. The following month, it was announced that Johnson and Craig were "starting to formulate ideas" for a potential fourth Knives Out film.
Short film
''Forks Out: A Benoit Blanc Sesame Street Mystery'' (2025)
In January 2023, Johnson stated that a suggestion from fans to create a Benoit Blanc mystery film featuring The Muppets as the supporting cast had inspired him. The writer/director said that he seriously considered this as an option, leading to viral demand for such a project. By December 2025 however, Johnson ultimately decided that it would be impossible to properly balance both intellectual properties.Forks Out is a parody-crossover short released by Netflix and Sesame Workshop in December 2025. The sketch combines elements of the Knives Out film series with the long-running children’s program Sesame Street, including a Muppet version of Benoit who the characters comedically address as "Beignet Blanc". The short was released to coincide with Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.
In the segment, Cookie Monster discovers that his triple berry pie has been eaten, prompting Beignet Blanc to investigate. The detective, voiced by Sesame Street performer Mike Vogel, speaks in a Southern drawl and sports blonde hair reminiscent of Craig’s portrayal. Supporting characters such as Elmo, Zoe, Grover, and Oscar the Grouch appear as suspects or witnesses. Grover humorously suggests that filmmaker Rian Johnson himself could be responsible, while Beignet Blanc rules out Cookie Monster and Oscar as culprits. The parody emphasizes comedic misdirection and detective tropes, reframing the noir logic of Knives Out into a family-friendly context. Netflix promoted the sketch on social media, captioning it as “Beignet Blanc stars in FORKS OUT. A @SesameStreet whodunnit,” highlighting the playful crossover appeal.
Reception to Forks Out was generally positive, with coverage noting its clever blending of murder mystery conventions and Muppet humor. Critics described the video as “sharp and silly” while also serving as a promotional tie-in for Wake Up Dead Man. Daniel Craig himself reacted to the parody, expressing amusement at seeing his character reimagined as a puppet detective.
The crossover was notable for fulfilling long-standing speculation for a potential Knives Out–Muppet collaboration. While director Rian Johnson had previously dismissed the idea of a feature film crossover, Forks Out provided a lighthearted alternative that acknowledged the cultural demand for such a mash-up.