- Netflix has released the first trailer for the next Knives Out movie
- Wake Up Dead Man puts Benoit Blanc at the center of a new whodunit
- It's out in theaters in November and comes to Netflix this December
The first trailer for Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery has appeared online – and the third movie in the whodunit film franchise looks like it'll be Benoit Blanc's trickiest case to solve so far.
Released today (September 8), the Netflix murder mystery movie's first teaser finally lifts the lid on its plot and why it'll be Blanc's "most dangerous cast yet", according to the streaming giant.
One of 2025's final new Netflix movies will see Daniel Craig reprise his role as the film series' fan-favorite detective. And, just like the past two Knives Out flicks, Craig will be joined by a starry ensemble of household names – all of whom could be the individual behind the crime at the center of Wake Up Dead Man's story.
As for what that felony is, here's a brief synopsis courtesy of a Netflix press release: "After a sudden and seemingly impossible murder rocks the town, the lack of an obvious suspect prompts local police chief Geraldine Scott (Mila Kunis) to join forces with renowned detective Benoit Blanc (Craig) to unravel a mystery that defies all logic."
Who is part of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery's cast?
Craig and Kunis – the latter of whom's hiring in Knives Out 3 something of a backlash among some fans – notwithstanding, Wake Up Dead Man's cast is, as I mentioned, full of familiar faces.
That includes the addition of rising stars Josh O'Connor and Cailee Spaeny to Knives Out 3's cast last May and a 007 reunion between a former James Bond star in Craig and Spectre actor Andrew Scott.
Here's a full list of the actors set to appear in Wake Up Dead Man, plus details on the characters they're set to play:
- Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc
- Josh O'Connor as Jud Duplenticy, a young priest who aids Blanc's investigation
- Mila Kunis as Geraldine Scott, a local police chief who teams up with Blanc
- Josh Brolin as Monsignor Jefferson Wicks, a charismatic but fiery senior priest
- Glenn Close as Martha Delacroix, a devout churchgoer
- Thomas Haden Church as Samson Holt, the parish's circumspect groundskeeper
- Kerry Washington as Vera Draven, a tightly-wound lawyer
- Daryl McCormack as Cy Draven, an aspiring local politician
- Jeremy Renner as Nat Sharp, the town doctor
- Andrew Scott as Lee Ross, a best-selling author
- Cailee Spaeny as Simone Vivane, a concert cellist
What is the release date for Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery?
Knives Out 3 will be released on Netflix, aka the world's best streaming service, on December 12. Netflix detectives solved Wake Up Dead Man's launch date mystery in the days leading up to its grand unveiling at Tudum 2025.
Mid-December won't mark the film's actual debut, though. As I reported on September 2, Knives Out 3 is getting a limited theatrical release in late November, which means it'll be available on the big screen from November 28 until it's released on Netflix.
What are critics already saying about Knives Out 3?
Early reactions to Wake Up Dead Man make it sound like it'll be one of the best Netflix movies of the year.
Following its world premiere at this year's Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Knives Out 3 holds – at the time of publication – a 96% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Sure, that's only based on 23 reviews, but it's nevertheless a better score than its forebear Glass Onion, which is sitting at 91% on the same review aggregation website.
Is Knives Out 3 going to be the film series' final installment?
It doesn't appear so. When Netflix signed an exclusive, $450m deal with Rian Johnson for the rights to the next two Knives Out movies March 2021, some fans might have feared that Johnson and Craig would bring Blanc's story to a close after Wake Up Dead Man.
However, speaking to Variety at TIFF, Craig revealed that he and Johnson are happy to continue making more films. That's as long as fans and critics alike continue to enjoy them, mind you – so, if you want Blanc to return, be sure to catch Knives Out 3 in theaters and/or on Netflix.
For more on the forthcoming flick, check out my dedicated guide on Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.
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