The third entry in Rian Johnson’s whodunnit film series will land just in time for Christmas, as Netflix has finally announced when Wake Up Dead Man will debut on the streaming platform.
When the crime comedy Knives On hit theatres in 2019, no one expected the film to be such a success. Flirting with the formula of Agatha Christie’s detective stories, the film helped Daniel Craig prove that he could play more than just James Bond and made a star out of Ana de Armas.
A clever twist on the classic whodunnit genre, hilarious social satire and a sensational cast made the film a smash hit and attracted Netflix’s attention. The streaming giant bought the rights to the sequels, and Knives Out’s follow-up premiered on the service in 2022.
However, detective Benoit Blanc’s adventures don’t end there, as several more films are planned. For now, information about the third film in the series is starting to emerge.
We’ve investigated all the clues and hints to find out what to expect from Wake Up Dead Man, AKA Knives Out 3.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery release date
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery will premiere on Netflix on Friday, 12 December 2025.
The release date was published with a short teaser for the film:
Filming for Knives Out 3 began in June 2024 and was wrapped in August 2024. To announce the first day of filming, the creators released a photo of long-haired Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc:
And here’s the announcement that work on the set had ended:
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery title meaning
Rian Johnson, writer and director of the series, enjoys creating metaphorical titles for his crime stories.
The first whodunnit is titled Knives Out, which refers to the Radiohead song as well as the weapons and family feuds evident in the film.
The second title – Glass Onion – refers to a song by The Beatles and is a metaphor for something complex yet transparent.
The third film from the Knives Out series will be Wake Up Dead Man. According to Johnson, this time the name is derived from a song from the U2 album Pop.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery plot
Plot details are being kept secret for now. Thanks to the first teaser, however, we know it will be the most dangerous of all Benoit Blanc’s cases.
A new photo released by Netflix suggests the film may have a gothic vibe:
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery cast
The cast of Knives Out 3 is star-studded, as always. Of course, Daniel Craig will once again portray the famous detective Benoit Blanc.
The film will also feature:
- Josh O’Connor (Challengers, The Crown) as Reverend Jud Duplenticy
- Glenn Close (Dangerous Liaisons, Fatal Attraction) as Martha Delacroix
- Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men, Dune) as Jefferson Wicks
- Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker, The Town) as Dr. Nat Sharp
- Andrew Scott (All of Us Strangers, Ripley) as Lee Ross
- Mila Kunis (Black Swan, Luckiest Girl Alive) as Geraldine Scott
- Kerry Washington (Scandal, Django Unchained) as Vera Draven
- Daryl McCormack (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande; Peaky Blinders) as Cy Draven
- Cailee Spaeny (Civil War, Priscilla) as Simone Vivane
- Thomas Haden Church (Sideways, Spider-Man 3) as Samson Holt
Stay tuned to get more information on the characters.
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