Wake Up Dead Man is a 2025 American mystery film written and directed by Rian Johnson and the third film in the Knives Out series. Daniel Craig returns as detective Benoit Blanc, who investigates the death of a Catholic priest amid a missing inheritance. The ensemble cast includes Josh O'Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis and Jeremy Renner. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2025, received a limited theatrical release in November, and streamed on Netflix in December. Like its predecessors, it was positively reviewed, with particular praise for the performances of Craig, O'Connor and Close.
Plot Overview
Former boxer turned priest Jud Duplenticy is assigned to an upstate New York parish led by Monsignor Jefferson Wicks. When Wicks dies in a locked closet during a Good Friday service, a knife fashioned from a lamp finial is found in his back. Jud, who had threatened Wicks and stolen a matching finial, becomes the prime suspect. Blanc is summoned to investigate and recruits Jud, convinced of his innocence. The case turns on a hidden fortune, a secret diamond and a series of deceptions among the congregation.
Production History
Johnson had discussed sequels with Benoit Blanc before the first film was released, and Netflix acquired the rights to two sequels in 2021. He chose a grounded church setting to differ from the lavish locations of the earlier films. The title is drawn from a phrase in the folk song "Ain't No More Cane on the Brazos", though Johnson also noted a connection to a U2 song of the same name. Johnson began writing the script in early 2023, describing its tone and themes as different from the previous installments.