DANIEL Craig has left the tuxedo of James Bond firmly behind as he steps back into the shoes of the eccentric detective Benoit Blanc.
Netflix has released the first official image from the highly anticipated third Knives Out film, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, giving us a glimpse at Daniel’s latest outing as the Southern sleuth.
Daniel Craig is back for the new Knives Out film[/caption]
He looks very different in his role as Benoit Blanc in Wake Up Dead Man[/caption]
The image shows Benoit standing in a dimly lit church, deep in conversation with a new character played by Josh O’Connor.
Details about Josh’s role are scarce, but his presence next to Benoit in the solemn setting hints at the gravity of the mystery to come.
Netflix has remained tight-lipped about the film’s plot, only teasing that Blanc will once again find himself surrounded by a new cast of suspects as he unravels “his most dangerous case yet.”
The streamer has also hinted that the film’s mystery could be linked to the coffin that features prominently in the film’s teaser trailer.
Wake Up Dead Man boasts an all-star lineup, with the likes of Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, Thomas Haden Church, and Jeremy Renner joining Craig and O’Connor.
Jeremy—who was only referenced in Glass Onion through a fictional hot sauce brand—will have a proper role this time around.
Following the success of 2019’s Knives Out and 2022’s Glass Onion, Rian Johnson has continued to build his modern whodunit franchise.
The director has spoken about how fortunate he has been to work with such talented stars, saying: “We’ve been very lucky with each of these movies to have gathered some of my favorite actors on the planet.”
The first Knives Out, released in 2019, introduced audiences to Benoit Blanc as he investigated the suspicious death of renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer).
The film was a commercial hit, and earned Rian an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
Its sequel, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, arrived in 2022 – transporting Benoit to a tech billionaire’s luxurious private island.
The eclectic new group of suspects included Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Dave Bautista, and Kate Hudson.
The film was another success, amusing viewers with its satirical portrayal of the ultra-wealthy.
Though Netflix has yet to confirm the exact release date for Wake Up Dead Man, the film is slated to hit the platform in 2025.
If it follows the pattern of Glass Onion, fans may see a limited theatrical release before its streaming debut, which is something that Daniel Craig himself has been advocating for.
Speaking to Variety, Daniel said: “The people I speak to — the fans, I suppose — all they want to do is take their families and go see it at the cinemas.”
