Rian Johnson premiered Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery on Sept. 6, 2025 at Toronto’s Princess of Wales Theatre, where the third installment in the series received a boisterous, star-studded reception.
Key Takeaways
- The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 6, 2025 at the Princess of Wales Theatre.
- Wake Up Dead Man is the third entry in Rian Johnson’s Knives Out series, featuring Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc.
- The cast includes Josh O’Connor, Josh Brolin, Glenn Close, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Daryl McCormack, Andrew Scott, Kerry Washington, Thomas Haden Church, and Cailee Spaeny.
- Johnson described the new film as darker and more existential, with thematic ties to church, truth, and grace and literary nods to Poe and Chesterton.
- Netflix acquired the sequels in a reported $400 million deal; Wake Up Dead Man will play in select theaters Nov. 26 for two weeks, then begin streaming Dec. 12.
- The series’ box office and limited theatrical strategies reflect a hybrid release model that balances festival buzz with streaming windows.
Verified Facts
Director Rian Johnson brought a large ensemble to TIFF for the world premiere of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery on Sept. 6, 2025. The event at the Princess of Wales Theatre was among the festival’s most sought-after screenings, drawing press and a packed audience.
Daniel Craig reprises his role as detective Benoit Blanc. The story centers on a murder linked to a local church and explores themes of truth, lies, and grace. Josh O’Connor plays a young priest named Jud Duplenticy, and Josh Brolin portrays a Monsignor; Glenn Close appears as a devout parishioner. Other principal cast members confirmed at the premiere include Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Daryl McCormack, Andrew Scott, Kerry Washington, Thomas Haden Church, and Cailee Spaeny.
The Knives Out franchise began with Knives Out in 2019, which grossed $312 million worldwide. Netflix later secured the rights to follow-up films in a reported $400 million package. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery opened in a limited theatrical run of roughly 696 theaters in 2022 and was estimated to earn about $15 million in its first week; Wake Up Dead Man will follow a brief theatrical window, opening in select theaters on Nov. 26 for two weeks before streaming on Dec. 12.
Context & Impact
Johnson positioned the new film as a deliberate return to the genre’s roots, citing influences from Edgar Allan Poe, John Dickson Carr, and G.K. Chesterton’s Father Brown stories. The tone reportedly shifts toward the gothic and philosophical while retaining the series’ trademark humor and pop-culture asides.
The festival premiere serves multiple purposes: it generates critical buzz ahead of the limited theatrical release, provides press material for streaming promotion, and reassures exhibitors that the studio values cinema windows even as streaming remains central to distribution strategy.
Industry observers say the hybrid rollout allows Netflix and partners to leverage awards-season attention, boost press coverage, and offer a theatrical option for audiences who prefer the big-screen experience. This approach also tests how limited runs translate into streaming engagement after launch.
Festival Reaction
After the screening the cast spoke about joining Johnson’s ensemble. Performances and the film’s ambitious tone were highlighted by attendees as reasons the premiere felt like a major moment for the franchise.
“This is my favorite place to be in the world,”
Rian Johnson
“Putting this many stars into one film is literally like herding cats,”
Daniel Craig
Unconfirmed
- Claims that Wake Up Dead Man is definitively the franchise’s “darkest” entry are subjective and based on early reactions rather than broad critical consensus.
- No wide-release box office projections are available before the film’s Nov. 26 limited opening and streaming debut on Dec. 12.
Bottom Line
Wake Up Dead Man arrived at TIFF as a high-profile, theatrical-first moment for a franchise that has become a flagship for hybrid release strategies. The film’s star-packed cast and festival reception set expectations for awards-season positioning and a high-profile streaming debut in December.