Knives Out Sequel Wake Up Dead Man Finds Some New Suspects (Or Victims)

Rian Johnson's Benoit Blanc detective series continues to be one of the hottest tickets for working actors, as proven by the most recent bit of casting news for the follow-up to "Glass Onion." According to Deadline, "Challengers" and "La Chimera" star Josh O'Connor will appear in the upcoming mystery movie, which we recently learned will feature the excellent title "Wake Up Dead Man." Alongside O'Connor, "Civil War" and "Priscilla" breakout star Cailee Spaeny is also set to appear. As of publication time, we don't know yet whether they'll play murder victims, suspects, or some other role in Johnson's next whodunnit.

Aside from star Daniel Craig, Spaeny and O'Connor are the first two actors to be announced as part of the project, and they're a pretty buzzy duo to kick things off. British actor O'Connor had already earned accolades for (among other projects) his turns on royal drama "The Crown" and in the queer drama "God's Own Country" before this year, but he's been extra ubiquitous in 2024 thanks to his pitch-perfect portrayal of slack tennis player (and one third of an extra-complicated love triangle) Patrick Zweig in Luca Guadagnino's "Challengers." Spaeny, similarly, earned kudos for unorthodox turn in Alex Garland's miniseries "Devs" and other roles in the past, but burst onto the scene last year playing a quietly roiling Priscilla Presley in Sofia Coppola's "Priscilla."

Update: Variety is reporting that Andrew Scott ("Fleabag," "Ripley") has joined the cast as well. Start getting excited!

Update #2: The Hollywood Reporter has learned that Kerry Washington and Glenn Close are also onboard for Johnson's threequel. This ensemble just keeps getting better and better!

As buzzy as these stars are, it's likely they're only the tip of the iceberg for "Wake Up Dead Man." Previous Benoit Blanc movies have featured sprawling, star-studded casts including everyone from Lakeith Stanfield and Jamie Lee Curtis to Janelle Monae and Edward Norton. The Benoit Blanc movies have so far done a great job accommodating actors from every point in their career: for example, "Knives Out" simultaneously launched Ana de Armas onto the A-List and served as one of the last great performances of the late Christopher Plummer's career.

The plot details of "Wake Up Dead Man" are as yet unknown, but given that the first casting announcement comes hot on the heels of Johnson's own title reveal just last week, it seems likely that news about the rest of the cast could soon follow. According to Deadline, the movie is set to start filming in June, and is looking at a 2025 release window on Netflix. Hopefully, the streamer will do the smart thing this time and put "Wake Up Dead Man" in theaters for more than a single week.