Wake Up Dead Man premieres at Toronto as Knives Out returns to the spotlight

Rian Johnson premiered Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday night, reuniting Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc with a starry ensemble at the Princess of Wales Theatre. The third entry shifts the series to a small-town parish and introduces new players including Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church. The screening drew heavy interest on opening weekend, continuing the franchise’s tradition of launching in Toronto.

Johnson’s latest leans into a darker, more gothic register than its predecessors, with the mystery unfolding around a church community and moral fault lines rather than an opulent mansion or island retreat. Early reactions out of the festival pointed to a moodier design and thornier themes while retaining the series’ puzzle-box scaffolding and Craig’s playful sleuthing cadence.

Onstage, Johnson recalled the festival’s importance to the series and framed each installment as a fresh experiment in tone and setting; Craig praised the chemistry of the new ensemble. The film continues its public rollout through festival events, including an in-depth conversation hosted by the festival with Johnson and Close. A limited theatrical run is planned for November 26 before the film streams on Netflix beginning December 12.