Benoit Blanc is back on the case – and this time his latest mystery is starting on the big screen. “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery”, the third entry in Rian Johnson’s modern whodunnit saga, has begun a limited theatrical run from 26 November 2025, before premiering globally on Netflix on 12 December 2025.
A Locked-Room Murder in a Country Church
Once again played with leisurely charm by Daniel Craig, Blanc finds himself drawn to a small church in upstate New York, where an apparently impossible crime shatters the quiet of the community. A priest, Monsignor Jefferson Wicks, is discovered dead in a church storage closet under circumstances that defy logic, setting Blanc on one of his most personal cases yet.
Teaming up with a young priest, Father Jud, Blanc must sift through a congregation full of secrets, grudges and buried sins. Johnson openly nods to classic locked-room mysteries and gothic tales, infusing the film with a slightly more haunted tone than “Knives Out” or “Glass Onion” while keeping the wit razor-sharp.
A Murderer’s Row of Suspects
As with every Blanc outing, the suspect list is stacked. The ensemble includes heavy hitters and fresh faces, with characters ranging from pious pillars of the community to figures who clearly have something to hide. Early reactions single out performances that balance theatrical flair with genuine pathos, particularly around the church’s troubled history and its hold over the town.
Johnson continues his now-signature trick of using the cast like a dinner-party from hell – throwing together big personalities, big motives and even bigger lies, then watching Blanc untangle the knots with that honey-thick Southern drawl.
Early Buzz: Johnson’s Sharpest Mystery Yet?
Following festival premieres and critic screenings, “Wake Up Dead Man” is already drawing praise as a worthy successor to the original “Knives Out” and, for many, a step up from “Glass Onion”. Reviews highlight the film’s blend of spiritual themes, dark humour and intricate plotting, with several calling it Blanc’s most dangerous and emotionally loaded case so far.
The limited theatrical run gives fans a chance to soak in the twisting plot and layered production design on the largest canvas possible before Netflix brings the mystery to living rooms worldwide in December.
Blanc’s Legacy and the Future of the Franchise
With three films now under his belt, Benoit Blanc has firmly joined the ranks of iconic screen detectives. Johnson has hinted that he has more mysteries in mind for Craig’s gentleman sleuth, and the hybrid theatrical-plus-streaming rollout of “Wake Up Dead Man” suggests both Netflix and audiences are hungry for more.
For now, the invitation is simple: step into the pews, keep your eyes on the congregation, and trust that Benoit Blanc will find the truth – no matter how impossible the crime appears.