WAKE UP DEAD MAN: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY Gets Theatrical Release Ahead of Netflix Debut
The wait is almost over for the next chapter in Rian Johnson’s Knives Out franchise. Netflix has officially confirmed that Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery will hit theaters before making its streaming debut, giving fans a chance to experience the murder mystery on the big screen.
According to Variety, the film will run in select U.S. theaters for two weeks starting November 26 and wrapping up on December 12, the same day it arrives on Netflix. Just like with Glass Onion, Netflix is once again testing the waters with a theatrical rollout, only this time doubling the length of the release window.
The movie brings back Daniel Craig as detective Benoit Blanc in what promises to be his most dangerous and bizarre case yet. The cast includes Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church.
In the film: “When young priest Jud Duplenticy (O’Connor) is sent to assist charismatic firebrand Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Brolin), it’s clear that all is not well in the pews. Wicks’s modest-but-devoted flock includes devout church lady Martha Delacroix (Close), circumspect groundskeeper Samson Holt (Haden Church), tightly-wound lawyer Vera Draven (Washington), aspiring politician Cy Draven (McCormack), town doctor Nat Sharp (Renner), best-selling author Lee Ross (Scott), and concert cellist Simone Vivane (Spaeny).
“After a sudden and seemingly impossible murder rocks the town, the lack of an obvious suspect prompts local police chief Geraldine Scott (Kunis) to join forces with renowned detective Benoit Blanc to unravel a mystery that defies all logic.”
This approach continues Netflix’s evolving strategy of theatrical experimentation. When Glass Onion was released for a limited week in cinemas, it built hype and fueled streaming numbers once it dropped on Netflix. That experiment seems to have paid off, and the streamer is doubling down this time around.
Interestingly, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos once described the traditional theatrical model as “outdated,” yet here we are with another Knives Out film hitting theaters first. It’s a sign that even Netflix knows these films have the kind of energy and star power that plays best with an audience.
Johnson himself has made it clear he wants his mysteries to be enjoyed on the big screen. Speaking to Business Insider, he said:
“We’re going to push for everything we can get in terms of theatrical, because I want as many people as possible to see it in that form.”
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery opens in theaters November 26 before streaming exclusively on Netflix December 12.
