The knives are out once again. Rian Johnson’s third installment in the hit mystery franchise, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 6, 2025. Featuring Daniel Craig’s return as the enigmatic detective Benoit Blanc, the film embraces a darker, gothic atmosphere while assembling one of the year’s most impressive casts. Critics at TIFF are already calling it the franchise’s most ambitious entry yet.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery Trailer
Though an official wide-release trailer has yet to debut, early reactions from TIFF screenings describe a chilling and atmospheric mystery steeped in gothic influences. With church bells, candlelit corridors, and a sense of foreboding, the film leans into classic whodunit traditions while exploring deeper themes of faith, deception, and morality.
Cast + Plot
Daniel Craig reprises his role as Benoit Blanc, this time investigating a series of unsettling events tied to a religious community.The ensemble cast includes:
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Josh O’Connor as Reverend Jud Duplenticy, a priest at the center of the mystery
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Glenn Close as Martha Delacroix, a devoted parishioner
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Josh Brolin as Monsignor Jefferson Wicks
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Mila Kunis as police chief Geraldine Scott
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Additional stars: Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church
The plot weaves questions of faith and grace with the franchise’s signature blend of sharp wit and suspense, marking the darkest chapter of Benoit Blanc’s investigations so far.
Release Date
Following its TIFF premiere, Wake Up Dead Man will open in select theaters on November 26, 2025, before debuting globally on Netflix on December 12, 2025. It will also screen at the BFI London Film Festival in October, giving international audiences an early taste of this gothic mystery.
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