Andrew Scott has joined the sprawling cast of “Knives Out 3.”
The “Ripley” and “Fleabag” actor will star in the whodunit — titled “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” — alongside the previously announced additions of “Challengers” breakout Josh O’Connor and Cailee Spaeny of “Priscilla” fame. And of course, Daniel Craig will reprise his role as the quirky sleuth at the center of it all, Benoit Blanc.
Rian Johnson is writing and directing the third “Knives Out” installment. He’s also producing with his T-Street partner Ram Bergman, who worked on the first two films. “Wake Up Dead Man” is expected to soon go into production and is slated to release in 2025. Plot details have yet to be revealed, but Johnson and Craig have teased that it is Blanc’s “most dangerous case yet.”
“I love everything about whodunits, but one of the things I love most is how malleable the genre is,” Johnson wrote on social media before announcing the threequel’s title. “There’s a whole tonal spectrum from Carr to Christie, and getting to explore that range is one of the most exciting things about making Benoit Blanc movies.”
Lionsgate released the original 2019 film, which impressively grossed $312 million against a $40 million budget. Netflix then bought the rights to the murder mystery series for more than $450 million and debuted the sequel, “Glass Onion,” in 2022. “Glass Onion” was the first Netflix movie to play in the country’s three biggest chains — AMC Theaters, Regal Cinemas and Cinemark — and generated an estimated $15 million during its week-long run. The jury is still out on release plans for the third entry.
“Knives Out” is known for casting a who’s who ensemble of suspects, with only Craig returning for each new installment. The first “Knives Out” featured Jamie Lee Curtis, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette; while the sequel “Glass Onion” included Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Kate Hudson and Dave Bautista.
“Wake Up Dead Man” reunites Scott and Craig, who shared scenes in 2015’s James Bond sequel “Spectre.” After becoming known to a wider audience as the Hot Priest on Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s series “Fleabag,” Scott’s star has been on the rise, with recent buzzy performances in “All of Us Strangers” and Netflix’s adaptation of “Ripley.” The Irish actor is repped by CAA, United Agents, Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole and Relevant.
From Variety US