Netflix is trying to build franchise hits and whether the zany Knives Out series is going to become such a thing remains to be seen. Having briefly passed through theatres, the vessel for Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) has hit Netflix on 12 December, following the huge success that was Glass Onion.
Now we're treated to Wake Up Dead Man, which leans a little more on the impressive cast and a little less on eccentricities of Benoit Blanc. Indeed, both Mike Lowe and Max Freeman-Mills took themselves to the cinema to view it (separately, I might add) and both reported back that Blanc's appearance takes some time. Perhaps that's part of the mystery.
Or perhaps it's something to do with the cast: Glenn Close (formerly Cruella de Vil), Josh Brolin (Thanos himself) and Andrew Scott (Moriarty in Sherlock and C in Spectre) aren't short of a villainous streak between them. With names like Mila Kunis and Jeremy Renner alongside Josh O'Conner, it's a glittering array of talent and feels bigger than the previous outings.
But that's what Knives Out is. Let us not forget that Glass Onion packed in Edward Norton, Dave Bautista, Kate Hudson, Kathryn Hahn (you know, the one from the winking meme) alongside a cameo from Serena Williams, while the first movie graced us with Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Don Johnson, Toni Collette and more. It's what Knives Out does.
For us viewers, it means rip-roaring entertainment with so much talent on show, and after so many years of James Bond, the joy of Daniel Craig's accent makes Knives Out what it is. Back to the question of franchises and I'm certain that Wake Up Dead Man is going to be the biggest movie streaming in December - it'll probably edge out Apple TV's F1 movie with Brad Pitt, but I'll be sure to watch both.
The question of whether there will be a Knives Out 4 remains, but Rian Johnson told The Hollywood Reporter recently: "As long as Daniel and I have fun doing it and he wants to do them, as long as audiences like them, and also as long as we can keep challenging ourselves and coming up with something that’s genuinely new”, but that's about all we have.
Wake Up Dead Man is said to be the darkest chapter in the Knives Out series, more personal for creator Johnson as it focuses on faith and religion, but despite the talent on show, it's Josh O'Connor (Prince Charles in The Crown) who reportedly steals the show.
If you've watched Knives Out and want more in a similar vein, I found 2022's The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (Netflix) felt a lot like Glass Onion, while 2023's Operation Fortune (Prime Video) also presents a huge array of talent as you might not expect to see them. Hugh Grant, I'm looking at you.
Away from the seriousness of some recent releases - like A House of Dynamite - Knives Out is best placed to give us entertainment without taking itself too seriously. Let's just hope it doesn't turn into a franchise with too much weight on its shoulders.
