Debuting in 2019, the comedic thriller Knives Out has spawned two sequels: Glass Onion in 2022 and Wake Up Dead Man in 2025. These celebrity capers have explored deep issues, such as class, race and identity, through zany characters placed in remote areas of the world. The first chapter was set in a faraway mansion, the second on an isolated island and the third in a secluded church.
Rian Johnson wrote and directed all three films while using his muse, Daniel Craig, in the lead role as gay private detective Benoit Blanc. Actor Hugh Grant played Benoit’s domestic partner, Phillip, in the second endeavor. Several queer identifying performers have joined the Knives Out franchise as part of the ensemble, such as Janelle Monae in part two and, most recently, Andrew Scott (who also co-starred with Craig in Spectre back in 2015) in part three.
One fun fact about the trio of movie titles is they are tied to tracks from three rock bands: Radiohead’s “Knives Out,” The Beatles’ “Glass Onion” and U2’s “Wake Up Dead Man.”
Rock tunes are woven into each soundtrack and Rian Johnson recently confessed that he’s a fan of musicals from Andrew Lloyd Webber and Stephen Sondheim, who notably appeared for a cameo in Knives Out.
Following the Los Angeles debut of Wake Up Dead Man, entertainment reporter Scott Mantz hosted a press conference on Nov. 18 at the Four Seasons Hotel, with Johnson and actor Josh O’Connor in attendance.
Johnson addressed his personal issues with religion head-on and said, “I grew up religious, and it was a big part of my life, but I am not a believer anymore. I wanted to look at faith through a multifaceted lens to see all the different sides of it.”
While Johnson was a Christian, O’Connor, who portrayed Rev. Jud Duplenticy, was an Irish Catholic in his private life. The complications that come with being rooted in religion bonded the two of them as well as the entire cast for this project.
British actor O’Connor not only has had to battle accents but has also had to deliver a wide range of characters from all walks of life onscreen in 2025—he appeared as Dusty the cowboy in Rebuilding; Lionel in the gay World War I-era romance The History of Sound; and the thief J.B. in Mastermind.
O’Connor said he approaches each of his roles in a similar fashion: “It always starts off with asking questions like, ‘What is the character’s intention?’ or ‘What is their stumbling block and how do they overcome that hurdle?’”
He added, “Rian is an actor’s director. He knows the moment to give someone space and when to banter. Doing scenes with Glenn Close can cause an anxiety attack, but she’s gracious, playful and excitable as an actress. That’s her gift.”
Close told Windy City Times in Toronto at a separate press conference that her standout performance as religious harbinger Martha Delacroix was not based on a person she knew but was instead inspired by Jeremy Woodhead’s costumes and holding a crucifix from 1993’s House of Spirits, where she played Ferula Trueba.
Rian reminisced with affection about working with Close, noting that, “She would show up every single day to set with the energy of somebody who had just gotten their first job in the film business.”
Diversity and individuality showcased throughout Johnson’s projects have impressed many of the people he has collaborated with, including Mila Kunis, who plays Geraldine Scott in Dead Man. She gushed at a recent press conference: “The themes of the characters and the dynamics he built about things are very complicated and risqué.”
She added, “We are never stuck watching a whodunit; instead, we are watching the characters.”
Mila has started campaigning for future installments and Rian stated for the record, “Daniel and I are already spitballing about what the next one could be down the line.”
Wake Up Dead Man rises into theaters on November 26 and netflix.com begins on-demand streaming on December 12.