Knives Out 2: What We Know So Far About Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Film

A tagline in the trailer for Knives Out promised that Rian Johnson’s suspenseful thriller starring Daniel Craig would be “a whodunit like no one has done it before,” and the twisted, wonderfully acted, and thoroughly hilarious film turned out to be just that, earning an Oscar nomination and $300 million worldwide. So, naturally, a Knives Out 2 is on the horizon.

Just like master private investigator Benoit Blanc, we have a few questions about this upcoming follow-up to Rian Johnson’s clever masterpiece which, as of now, is just a donut with a hole in the middle… a donut hole. Until we fill that hole, we shall take a deeper look into what we already know about the sequel, which is officially titled Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.

Rian Johnson, John Boyega and Oscar Isaac on the set of Star Wars: The Last Jedi

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Rian Johnson Is Returning To Write And Direct Knives Out 2

Knives Out was a great turning point in Rian Johnson’s career as a follow-up to his polarizing, yet financially successful Star Wars: The Last Jedi, by earning impressive box office returns and widespread acclaim from critics and audiences alike. It proved to be such a wonderful experience, during production and after, that the filmmaker was inspired to change his mind about sequels and expand on the world of his mystery film with a follow-up. Johnson wrote the screenplay for Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery and is also returning to direct the sequel. 

Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc in Knives Out

(Image credit: Lionsgate)

Knives Out 2 Will Have A New Story And Setting

The cleverly constructed story of a meek, young nurse (Ana de Armas) at odds with an eccentric family after the mysterious death of their wealthy mystery novelist patriarch (Christopher Plummer) was so rich in wonderful characters and intriguing family drama that returning to the world of Knives Out is an exciting idea. Apparently, however, that will not exactly be the case for Glass Onion.

Instead of focusing on the continuing saga of The Thrombey Clan, Rian Johnson promised in an interview with Jess Cagle on SiriusXM that the sequel will be another spin on the classic whodunit genre, but with an entirely new story in a different setting and will focus on the lives of a new cast of characters. Precisely what it will be about is still unknown at the moment, but one beloved figure of the Knives Out universe is set to make a return.

Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc in Knives Out 2

(Image credit: Netflix)

Daniel Craig Will Return As Benoit Blanc In Knives Out 2

Even before Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery was confirmed to be in development, Rian Johnson had been teasing the idea of a sequel following Daniel Craig’s southern-accented, cigar-chomping, dessert-metaphor spewing detective Benoit Blanc on another brain-scrambling case. The No Time to Die star, who also expressed interest in reprising the role prior to the official announcement of the sequel, has been confirmed by the director to be returning for the upcoming new film.

The famed private investigator, who rose to prominence following a profile in The New Yorker of which he was the subject, at first appeared to be an unnecessary, and almost bumbling, presence in the investigation of Harlan Thrombey’s death, which seemed like an open-and-shut case of suicide. Craig’s character was even judgmental of his own deductive reasoning, on account that he was unable to identify the anonymous person who hired him for the case in the first place. However, by the conclusion of Knives Out, Benoit Blanc manages to piece together the events prior to and following Thrombey’s death with pinpoint accuracy, ultimately rendering any criticism of his skill a moot point.

This brand new whodunit will, once again, put Blanc at the forefront as part of a developing anthology of mysteries revolving around the detective, a la Agatha Christie’s series of Hercule Poroit novels, such as Murder on the Orient Express. Even without the possibility of seeing the likes of Jamie Lee Curtis or Chris Evans making a return as their Thrombey Family characters, that concept alone is very exciting, especially considering the talent Johnson has already roped in for the sequel.

Members of Knives Out 2's main cast walking up to a boat

(Image credit: Netflix)

Dave Bautista, Janelle Monáe, And More Have Joined The Knives Out 2 Cast

The first name announced to be featured in the new Knives Out 2 cast was Daniel Craig’s old, silent foe from Spectre, Dave Bautista – who could, arguably, be the greatest wrestler-turned-actor Hollywood has ever seen given the range he has shown in the Marvel movies and more serious fare like Blade Runner 2049. Fellow Marvel stars Kathryn Hahn, from the WandaVision cast, and Jessica Henwick, from Iron Fist and other Netflix original Marvel TV shows, will appear alongside Academy Award nominee Edward Norton, who was also in the MCU at one time. Also, Moon Knight cast member Ethan Hawke confirmed in late 2021 that he is making a cameo in Glass Onion.

Grammy nominated singer Janelle Monáe continues her impressive foray into acting with a role speculated to be similar to Ana de Armas’ Marta Cabrera. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery will also mark the second whodunit for Academy Award nominee and Hamilton cast stand-out Leslie Odom Jr. after Murder on the Orient Express in 2017. Rising star Madelyn Cline, known for Stranger Things and the Outer Banks cast, will also join in on the fun and I would not be surprised if Almost Famous cast member Kate Hudson, who recently broke a long acting hiatus, is playing her mother.

Kathryn Hahn in Knives Out 2

(Image credit: Netflix)

Knives Out 2 Is Filming In Greece

When Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery was first announced, we decided to have a little fun and give Rian Johnson a few suggestions for what we would like to see in the sequel. In addition to giving Joseph Gordon-Levitt a bigger starring role and having Benoit Blanc use more dessert metaphors, we also recommended a warmer climate this time than Boston in the fall. Well, one of those wishes has been granted.

It was revealed earlier in 2021 that Knives Out 2 would be filmed in Greece, but with no confirmed details of when production would start. That was until mid-June, when Leslie Odom Jr. revealed to Collider that he and the cast were heading to the European country the following week. Principal photography on the sequel wrapped in September 2021 (also according to Collider), which means it will likely stick with its expectation to release in 2022, but the exact date remains a mystery. Luckily, we do know exactly where you will be able to find it.

Netflix logo

(Image credit: Netflix)

Knives Out 2 Will Release In Theaters And On Netflix

Just a few months after Knives Out released, Lionsgate greenlit the follow-up. However, the property is still owned by Rian Johnson and producing partner Ram Bergman, who decided to move the sequel to streaming in the midst of the many delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Luckily, according to Variety, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery will also hit the big screen before it debuts on its exclusive streaming home: Netflix.

After holding a “discreet” auction that included competing platforms such as Amazon and Apple TV+, Netflix ended up securing the rights to distribute the sequel for a whopping $469 million. While we still do not know exactly when it will hit theaters or drop on the streaming platform at the moment, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is one of the most anticipated titles on Netflix’s 2022 movies schedule.

Daniel Craig holding hand out as Benoit Blanc in Knives Out

(Image credit: Lionsgate)

Daniel Craig’s performance in Knives Out and the depth and irresistible intrigue of his character alone demands plenty more adventures than one sequel, as far as I am concerned. Well, thankfully, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery will not be Benoit Blanc’s final onscreen case after all. After acquiring the rights to the second chapter to Rian Johnson’s mystery hit, Netflix announced plans to make a Knives Out 3 as well. 

Ana de Armas in Knives Out.

(Image credit: Lionsgate/MRC)

How Can You Watch The Original Knives Out?

Knives Out is that rare kind of mystery thriller that is so relentlessly entertaining and cleverly constructed that it demands repeat viewings, even when you already know the ending. While it is no longer playing in a theater near you, it can be easily accessed in the comfort of your own home.

At the moment, Knives Out is not available on any known streaming services (which could change once Glass Onion hits Netflix), but can be rented digitally on Amazon Prime Video. Or, if you’re the old school type, you can also head to Amazon to purchase the movie on Blu-ray or DVD. 

Buy/Rent Knives Out digitally on Amazon (opens in new tab).
Buy Knives Out on Blu-ray/DVD on Amazon (opens in new tab).

You know, despite all of the great title suggestions that fans gave Rian Johnson on Twitter for the sequel, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is a perfect choice. I say this not necessarily as a Beatles fan (the title is synonymous with a track off 1968’s The White Album), but as a fan of how Benoit Blanc uses food metaphors to describe the complexity of his cases. We shall see what layers he is expected to peel through to get to the bottom of this next head-scratcher whenever the sequel premieres on Netflix.

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