Rian Johnson Says ‘Knives Out 3’ Script Is the Hardest He’s Ever Written

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Rian Johnson, the creator of the Knives Out movies, has shared details about the plot of the third film, calling it the most challenging script he’s ever written. Knives Out 3 features detective Benoit Blanc investigating a murder within a church community led by Monsignor Jefferson Wicks. While mystery stories are always complex, Johnson found the difficulty stemmed not from the genre itself, but from incorporating religious elements into the narrative.

The new mystery film, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, will hit theaters on November 26th, and will be available to stream on Netflix starting December 12th. The movie stars Daniel Craig, reprising his role as Blanc, and features a large cast including Josh O’Connor, Kerry Washington, Jeremy Renner, Josh Brolin, Glenn Close, Cailee Spaeny, and Jeffrey Wright.

Johnson is a highly skilled writer, and his screenplays have consistently received awards recognition. His latest work, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, appears to be another success, though he told Empire magazine that writing it was challenging. The difficulty stemmed from how to effectively portray the story’s religious themes.

Writing this particular script was the most challenging thing I’ve ever done. I was raised in a deeply Christian home – it wasn’t just about going to church, but having a strong, personal faith that shaped how I saw everything. That’s no longer true for me. I still care about and love many people who are religious, and I cherish certain memories from that part of my life, but I have a lot of mixed emotions about it all.

The script was challenging to write because I felt a strong responsibility to handle the subject matter with genuine honesty. I wanted to explore it thoughtfully, avoiding both superficiality and any hint of being preachy or disrespectful.

Daniel Craig, who plays Detective Benoit Blanc in all three films, described how meticulously Rian Johnson writes. He said Johnson really focuses on and revises his work until it’s perfect, constantly rereading and refining. Craig compared it to watching the movies themselves – you always notice new details on a second viewing.

Will Rian Johnson Have a Shot at the Academy Awards Again With ‘Knives Out 3’?


Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection

The Knives Out series is rare among Hollywood franchises, having earned Academy Award nominations for both of its films. Knives Out (2019) was nominated for Best Original Screenplay, and the sequel, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022), received a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.

The new Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is bigger and bolder than the previous installments, so Netflix is expected to heavily promote it for awards consideration. Hopefully, the Academy will acknowledge the complexity of Rian Johnson’s script and give the film a strong chance at winning an Oscar next year.

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2025-10-25 19:17