Could Knives Out 4 Happen? Here's What Director Rian Johnson Has To Say

Could Daniel Craig's Benoit Blanc be nearing the end of his cinematic run? Or is he just getting started? Director Rian Johnson has collaborated three times with Craig on their "Knives Out" mysteries, beginning in 2019. While the first movie was a big hit in theaters, the second two went directly to Netflix, with "Wake Up Dead Man" arriving on the streaming service in December. But is "Knives Out 4" in the cards? It certainly sounds like it.

Johnson recently spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about the possibility of a fourth Benoit Blanc mystery. The director behind "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" and "Looper" made it clear that he's not remotely tired of playing in this particular sandbox, and it sounds like Craig is on board to keep the party going as well. Here's what he had to say about it:

"Creatively, I feel energized after making this one. Daniel and I are already starting to formulate ... what could the next one be if we do another one?"

"I don't know why I would stop doing it if we could keep making them," Johnson added.

Netflix paid an outlandish $469 million for the two "Knives Out" sequels, which also included 2022's "Glass Onion." But that deal didn't extend beyond two films, and Johnson controls the franchise, as he wrote and directed the original movie. That's why he was able to make such a big deal for the sequels, which is said to have netted him, Craig, and producer Ram Bergman around $100 million each.

In short, it's a good business to be in, and, undoubtedly, it would be easy to find someone to pony up the money for "Knives Out 4." The bigger question is who would be the one to finance the next installment (if not Netflix).

Netflix is not in the business of giving its movies wide theatrical releases. The first "Knives Out" made $313 million at the box office against a $40 million budget, making it a huge hit. All the same, the streamer only gave "Glass Onion" a brief theatrical release, opting to do the same for "Wake Up Dead Man." Despite Craig, Johnson, and Bergman's deal with Netflix, there has been some internal tension over this release strategy.

Craig made it crystal clear that he was unhappy with the "Glass Onion" release. Nothing has really changed for "Wake Up Dead Man," so one assumes he's still got some misgivings in that department. Whether or not Johnson shares the same view on wanting a theatrical release, what's clear is that he and Craig will once again be free to take a proposed fourth entry in the franchise to buyers in the market. Netflix wouldn't automatically get first dibs.

The bigger thing is, there are endless stories to be told with Benoit Blanc as a character, solving mysteries around the world. Creatively, it's easy to see the enterprise continuing. It's not some sort of needless expansion of a franchise that has run out of things to say. For what it's worth, there is growing evidence that Netflix might start putting its movies in theaters more meaningfully, in no small part because A-list talent still wants movies to go to theaters. At the same time, it's easy to see studios like Warner Bros. or Paramount bidding high on a film like this. We'll see how it shakes out. 

"Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery" hits select theaters on November 26, 2025, before it begins streaming on Netflix on December 12, 2025.