Benoit Blanc, the detective, is back.
Today, Netflix unveiled the first image from the upcoming sequel to the wildly successful murder mystery Knives Out, showcasing the ensemble cast of the much awaited film. Benoit Blanc (played by Daniel Craig) is joined by a number of new performers in a recent picture from the movie, including Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, and Leslie Odom Jr.
The first movie, which starred Craig as well as Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ana de Armas, and others, was a smash success and has made more than $311 million worldwide. Additionally, it received nominations for several prizes, including Best Original Screenplay at the 2020 Academy Awards and three Golden Globes. Chris Evans also appeared in it sporting the most flawless cable-knit sweater ever made.
What then can we expect from the future sequel? Here is what we currently know.
A recent video depicts the mystery’s genesis.
An exclusive clip for the movie from Netflix features the new characters (played by Odom, Jr., Bautista, Hudson, and Hahn) working out a complex puzzle box Miles sent them. When they figure out the code, an old friend of theirs invites them on a reunion cruise where they will compete to solve the case of his murder.
Here is the first teaser trailer.
New visitors, a brand-new mystery to be solved. Below, you can see the Glass Onion first teaser trailer.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is the title of the next movie.
In October 2019, a month after “Knives Out” made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and a month before it would go on release and become a box office smash, Rian Johnson admitted to Vanity Fair that he was a “whodunit junkie.” “The idea of doing an original one about America in 2019 seemed really exciting: the combination of an incredibly fun genre that is a rollercoaster ride for the audience, kind of a puzzle box…and you have an all-star cast.”
“When I made Knives Out, that’s what excited me about the prospect of making more mysteries with Daniel as Benoit Blanc – to emulate Christie and have every film be like a whole new book, with its own tone, ambition, reason for being… and (ta dah) title,” the film’s writer and director, Rian Johnson, shared in a tweet revealing the new film’s official name. “Benoit Blanc’s next case, the follow up to Knives Out, is called GLASS ONION.”
When will Glass Onion be released?
On December 23, Netflix will release Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery in every country. The movie will also be shown in and will also be in select theaters. thanks to Netflix’s announcement of a release plan for some of them, but no formal information, such as a specific release date, was provided at this time via the company’s Tudum blog
Glass Onion is probably going to qualify for this year’s Oscars now that it has at least some theater exposure. Knives Out, its predecessor, was nominated for Best Original Screenplay.
Glass Onion will also be a part of the autumn film festival circuit, with screenings at the BFI London Film Festival in October and the Toronto International Film Festival in September.
Who is in the cast?
The cast of the planned sequel includes Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline, Kate Hudson, and Dave Bautista.
The ensemble cast, which includes returning actor Daniel Craig in his role as Detective Benoit Blanc and Ed Norton as tech millionaire and holiday host Miles Bron, has quite a resume. Duke Cody, a YouTube celebrity played by Dave Bautista, is dating his assistant Whiskey (Madelyn Cline). Kate Hudson plays fashionista Birdie Jay, while Jessia Henwick plays Peg, her assistant. Claire DeBalla is a governor campaigning for the Senate, and Kathyn Hahn plays her. Leslie Odom Jr. portrays Lionel Toussaint, a scientist for Norton’s Miles character, while Janelle Monáe plays tech mogul Cassandra Brand. At the time of printing, Ethan Hawke’s part was unknown.
What is Glass Onion about?
The newest mystery has Benoit Blanc back on the case. Despite being a follow-up to the 2019 film Knives Out, Glass Onion does not carry on the plot from that picture; instead, it introduces a brand-new mystery and cast of people, with only Blanc acting as the connecting thread.
Per Tudum, the sequel follows a lavish international dinner party gone awry. The official synopsis reads, “A tech billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton) invites some of his nearest and dearest for a getaway on his private Greek island, it soon becomes clear that all is not perfect in paradise. And when someone turns up dead, well, who better than Blanc to peel back the layers of intrigue?”
Viewers will get to know Benoit Blanc a bit better
Ana de Armas was the main character in the first movie, but Craig’s Benoit Blanc will be given more attention in the sequel.
“Blanc was always outside of the sphere of our protagonist and was a little bit more of an enigma in the first movie. Whereas, in this one, Blanc gets an invitation to come to this murder mystery on this island,” Johnson added. “We’re very much meeting these people and getting into this world through his eyes.”
Who is Rian Johnson?
After directing and writing Knives Out as well, Rian Johnson comes back to pen and helm Glass Onion. Johnson’s career includes films like Brick, The Brother Bloom, Looper, and Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, but Knives Out has earned some of the best reviews.
The latter is what has many people divided over Johnson. While The Last Jedi received overwhelmingly positive reviews from reviewers, some Star Wars fans have critical opinions on the film and the decisions Rian Johnson made. In fact, a running joke in the most recent Scream movie poked fun at the type of anger he experienced and the fan response.
Johnson is a well-known director outside of Star Wars, and his original script for Knives Out received an Oscar nomination.
Daniel Craig Had to Re-Learn His Accent From “Knives Out”
Daniel Craig forgot his distinctive Southern drawl before the sequel, “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” despite having played Kentucky investigator Benoit Blanc in the original “Knives Out” movie. Prior to filming, Craig stated to Empire Magazine that he needed to practice with an accent coach for “three to four months.”
“I’d forgotten the accent, and I didn’t want to do a pastiche,” Craig said. “I wanted to make it as grounded and as anchored in reality as possible.”
The First Movie’s Success
At the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival, the first “Knives Out” had its international debut to acclaim. The movie received an A- rating from senior film reviewer David Ehrlich of IndieWire, who called it “a crackling, devious, and hugely satisfying old-school whodunnit with a modern twist.” In November 2019, Lionsgate released the movie, which went on to earn $311 million worldwide thanks to word-of-mouth buzz. It is becoming less common for an original production to have such a significant box office success, thus it came as no surprise when Johnson and Craig announced in February 2020 that “Knives Out 2” will go into production.
In the movie “Knives Out,” Daniel Craig plays Benoit Blanc, a brilliant investigator who looks into the death of a successful crime writer. Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Lakeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford, Jaeden Martell, and the late Christopher Plummer were among the cast members of the original movie’s ensemble.
In addition to its success at the box office, “Knives Out” shown enough strength to compete for accolades during the 2020 Oscar season. Johnson received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay, and the movie received three Golden Globe nominations (Best Motion Picture Comedy or Musical, Best Actor in a Motion Picture Comedy or Musical for Daniel Craig, and Best Actress in a Motion Picture Comedy or Musical for Ana de Armas).
Knives Out” was always envisioned by Rian Johnson as an Anthology Franchise
Before “Knives Out” debuted in theaters in November 2019, Johnson was quoted as stating he always wanted to turn it into a series of stand-alone mysteries.
“I’ll tell you, the truth is I had such a great time working with Daniel Craig and I had so much fun doing this on every level, from writing it to making it,” Johnson said in September 2019 shortly after the film’s TIFF world premiere. “I’ve never really been interested in doing sequels, but this, the idea of doing more of these with Daniel as his character, is not sequels. It’s just what Agatha Christie did. It’s just coming up with a whole new mystery, a whole new location, all new cast, whole new mechanics of the appeal of a mystery and everything. It’d be a blast.”
The casting of Dave Bautista scared him.
Dave Bautista has turned into one of Hollywood’s most in-demand performers thanks to his blockbuster performance as Drax in Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” trilogy. In addition to working with Denis Villeneuve on the movies “Blade Runner 2049” and “Dune,” Bautista also starred in Zack Snyder’s zombie epic “Army of the Dead” before being confirmed for “Knives Out 2.”
Talking to Indie Wire Bautista said “It feels terrifying. I’m nervous about it. I’m really nervous,” when asked about his “Knives Out 2” casting ahead of filming. “It’s one of those things where now the pressure’s on, because people are expecting things from you. I want to deliver. I take pride in that. I’m a game player. I want to throw a touchdown pass.”
Also adding“ I know the script is brilliant, I know the director is brilliant. The names are going to get bigger and better, and for me, I can’t get it out of my head that — there’s always going to be a part of me that feels like I’m new to this and I’m still learning, and I want to be able to hold my own. So there is a bit of an intimidation factor, because all these actors and directors are just accomplished and seasoned and award-winners. But at the end of the day, this is how I gauge my career, the people I’m working with. The projects that I’m on, the directors that I work with. So I know being announced as part of this cast is a huge statement, because the first film crushed.”
Leslie Odom Jr. Is Excited to Continue Ensemble Work
Leslie Odom Jr. has a talent for seamlessly blending into a star-studded ensemble cast, as evidenced by his Tony Award-winning performance in “Hamilton,” as well as his roles in “Murder on the Orient Express,” “One Night in Miami” (for which he received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor), and the upcoming “Sopranos” prequel film “The Many Saints of Newark.” With “Knives Out 2,” that talent should do wonders, and as the actor told Entertainment Weekly, “I have grown used to doing my best to be a useful member of a killer ensemble, pardon the pun. I’m maybe getting known for that, and I’m not necessarily the guy, at this point, who wants to take it all on his shoulders.”
Kathryn Hahn Got Her Role Over Zoom
Many members of the “Knives Out 2” cast originally spoke with director Rian Johnson via Zoom video conference talks due to the pandemic. In Kathryn Hahn’s instance, the sequel to “Knives Out” allowed her to continue her scorching career immediately after “WandaVision.” I’m quite excited, the actress said to MTV. I enjoyed the first of my two Zoom meetings with Rian. I adore the detail and the way Rian works with performers. I’m a tremendous fan of Daniel Craig. This excites me much. In the first round of filming stills for “Knives Out 2,” Hahn may be seen wearing a visor in scenes with Kate Hudson. The two most recent collaboration was on “How to Lose a Guy in 10 days.”
Costume Designer Jenny Eagan Returns
Costume designer Jenny Eagan was a crucial component of the first “Knives Out” crafts team, and she will return alongside director Rian Johnson for the follow-up. Among many other movies, Eagan has also been in “The Midnight Sky,” “Wildlife,” “A Serious Man,” and “Beasts of No Nation.” According to set photographs from “Knives Out 2,” the sequel is set in Greece during the summer, in contrast to the fall setting of the first “Knives Out,” which led to several overcoats and at least one legendary sweater (thanks, Chris Evans). This time, Eagan is experimenting with a lot more color and fluid textiles.
Filming in Greece
When word of Netflix’s acquisition of “Knives Out” initially circulated, it was said that “Knives Out 2” will start filming in Greece on June 28. That specifics were accurate. With a picture of a camera in use on set, Rian Johnson announced on social media on June 28 that production had officially begun in Greece.
The director wrote in a caption: “Aaaaaaaand WE’RE OFF! Day one of filming on the next Benoit Blanc mystery. Thanks to all the lovely patient people here in Greece for letting us do all this murdering on their peaceful shores.”
