‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery’ Scores 95% on Rotten Tomatoes.

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Okay, I was really bummed when Poker Face got canceled, but it looks like Rian Johnson is about to cheer me right up! The early reviews for his new Knives Out movie are fantastic – the Rotten Tomatoes score keeps going up, and I can’t wait to see this latest mystery unfold on the big screen. It’s exactly what I need!

This is the third time director Rian Johnson and Daniel Craig have worked together. Craig is back as the clever detective Benoit Blanc, facing a brand new and challenging mystery. The film features a star-studded cast and is a more serious story than Glass Onion. Critics have given it high marks, with its Rotten Tomatoes score nearly matching that of their first film, Knives Out.

After receiving 121 reviews, Wake Up Dead Man currently boasts a remarkable 95% score on the Tomatometer, suggesting the series could continue with future installments. The new film has surpassed the 91% rating of 2022’s Glass Onion (which was a Netflix record-holder) and is being praised as “sharper than a razor,” “a perfect effort from Johnson,” and even “the best in the franchise.” You can find our review of Wake Up Dead Man here.

Daniel Craig’s popular portrayal of the character is likely helping new director Johnson succeed. Here’s what the latest film is about:

Detective Benoit Blanc starts a new investigation involving a charming priest, Monsignor Jefferson Wicks, and his close-knit church community. After a puzzling death, Blanc has to untangle a complicated network of hidden secrets and underlying conflicts to find out what really happened.

Rian Johnson and Daniel Craig Can Dominate the Mystery Genre


Netflix

Following the huge popularity of Knives Out, Netflix quickly approved Wake Up Dead Man. Given the overwhelmingly positive reviews, it would be a smart move for Netflix to bring back the same creative team – and add even more stars – to continue the story of detective Benoit Blanc and his thrilling murder mysteries, which are complex enough to challenge even Sherlock Holmes.

Craig returns for another suspenseful mystery, and this time he’s joined by a stellar cast including Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, Thomas Haden Church, and Jeremy Renner. As with his previous cases, expect twists, turns, and not everyone will survive, as many of the characters hide things from the detective while he tries to crack the case.

Both Rian Johnson and Daniel Craig have expressed their enthusiasm for continuing the Benoit Blanc mystery series as long as possible. Johnson previously shared that writing the script for Wake Up Dead Man was the most challenging of his career, largely due to its complex and deeply religious themes. He discussed this with Empire Magazine.

Writing this script was the biggest challenge I’ve faced so far. 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. I’ve moved away from that faith now, and I’m still working through a lot of complex emotions about it, which is why the script was so difficult to write.

Okay, so Johnson might have hit a few bumps with this new film, but honestly, the mystery itself was fantastic – no issues there at all. It makes me think it’s only a matter of time before Netflix officially greenlights the fourth movie he’s already starting to plan with Craig. I’m already excited!

The new movie, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, will be in theaters for two weeks beginning November 26, 2025, and will then be available to stream on Netflix starting December 12.

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2025-11-26 03:33