Here’s What is Happening with ‘Knives Out’ 3
The second installment of the Knives Out franchise dropped on Netflix on December 23, 2022, and while the dust has yet to settle on that, a third movie is almost going into production. Here’s what’s happening with Knives Out 3.
‘Glass Onion’ is still setting streaming records on Netflix
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is the sequel to the 2019 film Knives Out that follows detective Benoit Blanc as he investigates the suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of the patriarch of a wealthy dysfunctional family. Knives Out was a huge hit earning $311.9 million against a $40 million budget and receiving several award nominations, according to CBR.
In 2021, news broke that Netflix had acquired the rights to two sequels for a hefty $469 million, with Daniel Craig taking the lead and director and writer Rian Johnson returning. The first sequel was Glass Onion which landed on Netflix in 2022 and has been a top performer for the streaming giant.
The movie, which follows Blanc as he takes on a new case investigating a murder mystery game gone wrong, was a hit with fans and critics alike, earning a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes. According to Variety, the mystery film drew in 82.1 million hours of watch time in its initial debut, 127 million hours watched during the December 26, 2022-January 1, 2023 viewing window, and 209.4 million by January 3, 2023.
Per the outlet, these numbers put the movie in third place just behind hits like the star-studded Red Notice and Don’t Look Up in Netflix’s most-watched movies in their first 10 days of viewership. However, Glass Onion continued to top the list as the most-watched English-language film for the second week in a row.
Rian Johnson confirms a script for ‘Knives Out 3’ is in the works
Johnson has a lot on his plate, from the Natasha Lyonne series Poker Face to the highly anticipated long overdue Star Wars trilogy. However, if his interview with Empire is anything to go by, Johnson may be putting the Craig star vehicle first.
“I’m making the next Benoit Blanc movie next because it’s the most exciting thing right now to me,” the director told the publication, stating that the Knives Out movie series has “served” him well. “I’m jumping into the next Benoit Blanc next because I can’t think about another story,” he added.
Johnson clarified that he doesn’t still know the exact type of story the third Knives Out film will follow but said he has a “big cloud of ideas” that hasn’t all “snapped into focus.” The filmmaker confirmed that Knives Out 3 would differ from Glass Onion and expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming project.
In a previous interview with Deadline, Johnson said, “We structured the Netflix deal so that if I wanted to do something else next, I could.” The director said at the time that he carries a Moleskine notebook that he uses to jot ideas down, insisting that he wants to make another movie “not because of a contractual obligation” but because it’s something he is currently interested in.
Potential release dates for ‘Knives Out 3’
With another movie confirmed and a script in the works, it begs the question of when fans should expect the third movie. The movie is currently in the very early stages of planning and development, so there’s no telling when it will land on Netflix.
Knives Out came out in 2019, while Glass Onion debuted in 2022. However, production was delayed for the second movie because of coronavirus (COVID-19) and lockdowns, so if everything goes well, Knives Out 3 may come out by 2025 at the latest.
Craig is also the only cast member expected to reprise his role for Knives Out 3 and any other Knives Out movies. The first and second films had different cast members, so viewers should expect to see new faces in the upcoming movie.
