Wake Up Dead Man Premieres: Gothic Mystery Marks New Direction for Knives Out Franchise

The third installment of the celebrated detective franchise, Knives Out, has arrived under the title Wake Up Dead Man. This new chapter significantly shifts the narrative focus toward a somber, gothic mystery deeply rooted within a Catholic community setting. Director Rian Johnson, renowned for his genre-bending approach, has drawn inspiration this time from the works of Edgar Allan Poe. His stated aim was to imbue the film with a more grounded, distinctly gothic atmosphere, harkening back to the tone established in the highly successful 2019 original.

The film celebrated its world premiere on September 6, 2025, at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Following this debut, Wake Up Dead Man entered wide theatrical release on November 26, before ultimately streaming on Netflix starting December 12, 2025. Audiences should prepare for a feature with a substantial runtime, clocking in at 144 minutes in total.

Daniel Craig reprises his role as the inimitable master sleuth, Benoit Blanc, for what director Johnson has suggested will be his most perilous case yet. Johnson further elaborated that this particular investigation represents the most personal journey Blanc has yet undertaken. However, the emotional anchor of this installment appears to rest squarely on the shoulders of newcomer Josh O’Connor. O’Connor portrays the young clergyman, Reverend Judd Duplantier, who has recently been assigned to a remote parish located in upstate New York.

The central conflict ignites when Blanc is called in to investigate a seemingly impossible murder that occurs during a service at this small parish. Tensions within the congregation have been running high, exacerbated by the presence of the charismatic yet authoritarian Monsignor Jefferson Weeks, played by Josh Brolin. The simmering friction between the parishioners and Weeks forms the volatile backdrop against which the investigation unfolds.

Film critics have been quick to praise Craig’s continued excellence in the role, but many agree that O’Connor carries the emotional weight of the narrative. His performance delves deeply into complex themes of faith, communal bonds, and the search for atonement. The movie itself is being lauded for its brisk pacing and meticulous construction, hallmarks of the classic whodunit structure.

Furthermore, the picture offers a surprisingly candid exploration of religious critique, the pitfalls of self-righteousness, and the potential for religious doctrine to be weaponized as a shield for malice. Early reception at TIFF was overwhelmingly positive. The film boasted a perfect 100% positive review score on Rotten Tomatoes upon its premiere, alongside a Metacritic score of 85 out of 100. These figures strongly position Wake Up Dead Man as potentially the most profound and emotionally resonant entry in the trilogy thus far.