Daniel Craig knows the “Knives Out” franchise belongs in movie theaters, so he’s hoping Netflix will give the upcoming third installment, officially titled “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,” a theatrical release that lasts more more than just one week. That’s how long Netflix put 2022’s “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” in theaters for, which seemingly is not Craig’s preference. The actor told Variety during an interview for its “Queer” cover story that “Knives Out 3” deserves a more robust theatrical rollout.
“You know I do,” Craig said when asked if he thinks “Wake Up Dead Man” should play in theaters for longer than one week. “Hopefully, Netflix will push it out a bit, and people will get to see it. The people I speak to — the fans, I suppose — all they want to do is take their families and go see it at the cinemas. That’s all they want to do. Hopefully we can give them that experience.”
The first “Knives Out” movie was released by Lionsgate in 2019 and became a word-of-mouth smash hit over the holiday movie season with $312 million at the worldwide box office. Writer-director Rian Johnson also picked up an Oscar nomination for best original screenplay. Netflix ultimately struck a deal with Johnson to develop two “Knives Out” sequels, the first of which played for just one week in theaters across the country.
While Netflix gave “Glass Onion” a one-week theatrical release, it did strike deals at the time with the country’s largest theater chains — AMC Theaters, Regal Cinemas and Cinemark — in order to put the “Knives Out” sequel in 600 theaters. That remains the widest release Netflix has ever done. Notably, the sequel was the first Netflix movie to screen in AMC and Regal locations, as the two exhibitors had long refused the streamer’s films because Netflix would not adhere to more traditional theatrical windows. “Glass Onion” remains the only time Netflix did such a wide release for one of its films. It’s unclear if the streamer intends to do the same for “Wake Up Dead Man.”
Johnson once again wrote and directed the third “Knives Out” movie, which once again features Craig as the detective Benoit Blanc. The new supporting cast includes Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack and Thomas Haden Church. Plot details remain under wraps. Netflix will release “Wake Up Dead Man” in 2025.
