Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery Is A 'Roller Coaster And Not A Crossword Puzzle' — See First Image
Did you miss him? Of course you did! Everyone's favorite private detective with an unparalleled nose for the truth is back and ready for another round of "CSI: KFC" action. After writer/director Rian Johnson promptly reinvigorated the murder-mystery genre with the Oscar-nominated "Knives Out" in 2019, audiences, in no small part due to Daniel Craig's gloriously campy portrayal of Benoit Blanc, immediately looked ahead to the next time we could see the detective doing what he does best — snooping around in everyone else's business, casually making suspects uncomfortable, and using his vast insights to solve all the most complicated crimes.
"Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery" is the next buzzworthy installment of Johnson's hit original franchise and now we're getting a fresh look at what the sequel has to offer. If you recall, Netflix scooped up the rights to the second film (and a third!) in a frenzied bidding war and has since released only the barest glimpses of the upcoming sequel. Today, the major streamer has finally lifted the curtain a bit and unleashed a proper look at the star-studded cast and the all-new tropical setting, taking us far from the dreary New England locale that housed the Thrombey estate in "Knives Out."
In a premise that's right at home in an Agatha Christie novel, "Glass Onion" kicks into gear when Edward Norton's Miles Bron, described as a tech billionaire, invites several friends to a Mediterranean vacation on his own private island — before a murderer strikes and Blanc turns out to be the perfect man for the job, naturally. However, viewers can expect a very different movie from the first one.
'It's a roller coaster and not a crossword puzzle'
How do you follow up one of the most successful and well-received original films in recent years? Well, you begin with an utterly intriguing title, for one. Setting aside that clunky subtitle for #branding purposes, the origin of "Glass Onion" has its roots in a famous 1986 Beatles song ... along with Benoit Blanc's usual sense of grandiosity, of course. In a new release, Netflix released some first-look photos of the sequel along with a batch of new quotes by director Rian Johnson. In it, he explains the origins of that peculiar-sounding title.
"I'm always fishing for something fun that Blanc can grab onto as an overwrought metaphor that he can beat to death. This is all in plain sight from the very start. So, the idea of glass came to me, something that's clear. I'll be very honest. I literally got out my iPhone and searched my music library with the word 'glass.' There's got to be some good glass songs. I was like, 'Oh, is it a glass fortress? Is it a glass castle? Is it a glass man?' The first thing that came up, because I'm a huge Beatles fan, is 'Glass Onion.'"
Along with Blanc trading in donuts for onions, "Glass Onion" will also reveal a bit more about the oddly philosophical private eye, as well. "You definitely get to know him a little bit better," says Johnson, describing him as a main character this time around. In terms of inspiration, the filmmaker also name drops 1982's "Evil Under the Sun" and the brilliant 1973 film "The Last of Sheila." Johnson leaves us on this compelling note:
"It's a roller coaster and not a crossword puzzle."
"Glass Onion" premieres on Netflix on December 23, 2022.