Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery Finally Gets a Release Date
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery finally has a release date. Yes, you heard that right, the third entry in Rian Johnson’s murder mystery saga will arrive in select theaters on November 26, 2025, before landing on Netflix on December 12, 2025. Before that, the film will make its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 6, followed by its opening night debut at the 69th BFI London Film Festival on October 8.
With the announcement, Netflix revealed the film’s official poster and an expanded synopsis. This time, our favorite queer detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is drawn into what’s described as his most dangerous case yet. The story begins when young priest Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor) is sent to work alongside charismatic Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin). Their parish is populated by a colorful set of characters, including Glenn Close, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Jeremy Renner, Daryl McCormack, Mila Kunis, and Cailee Spaeny. When an impossible murder shocks the small town, local police chief Geraldine Scott (Kunis) partners with Blanc to uncover the truth.
Academy Award–nominated filmmaker Rian Johnson once again writes and directs, bringing together an impressive all-star cast. For Johnson, this installment pushes Blanc into unfamiliar territory. “This film charts [Blanc’s] most personal journey yet,” he told Netflix’s TUDUM. “He’s forced to engage with the case—and with himself—in a way that’s completely new.”
Johnson chose a religious setting as the backdrop, one that allows themes of morality, guilt, and humanity to shine. “Themes of guilt, mystery, morality, and fallible humanity all feel right at home in a church, with a man of God in the center of the mix,” he explained. He added that his own views on faith and its role in civic life helped shape the story.
Visually, the film leans into gothic tones, with production designer Rick Heinrichs creating an imposing stone chapel and cinematographer Steve Yedlin heightening the atmosphere with dramatic chiaroscuro lighting. Johnson described the style as both “gothic” and “grounded.”
Craig praised Johnson’s ability to reimagine the genre, saying, “What Rian’s movies do best is subvert the genre. You start off thinking you’re watching an old-fashioned sort of Agatha Christie-type mystery—but then it shifts, and you realize you’re watching something entirely different.”
Interestingly, Johnson emphasized that Blanc isn’t the central figure of these stories; there’s always another protagonist who grounds the narrative. In this case, that’s O’Connor’s Jud. “Josh’s character Jud is that character in this movie,” Johnson said. O’Connor, for his part, was equally full of praise: “He’s a sensational filmmaker. What’s surprising to me always is when a brilliant director is also a brilliant writer… Rian has both, and he’s very funny, very smart, deeply kind, and patient. It’s really rare what he has.”
For us, the excitement is twofold: not only do we get to see Johnson’s latest twist on the whodunit, but we also get to watch Benoit Blanc—cinema’s most stylish queer detective—step back into the spotlight. With gothic churches, graveyards, and a mystery that blends faith, morality, and murder, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery looks like a chilling yet thrilling return to form. December 12 can’t come soon enough.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery will make its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 6 and will open the BFI London Film Festival on October 8. The film will be in select theaters on November 26 and will debut on Netflix on December 12. Follow us on X and Instagram for all queer stuff!
Featured Image: Image Courtesy of Netflix.
