Movies - TV
Rian Johnson Explains His Giant Paycheck From Netflix For The Knives Out Sequels
By DANIELLE RYAN
Despite “Knives Out” being a box office hit and grossing more than $300 million worldwide, it was a surprise to hear Netflix purportedly paid director Rian Johnson $100 million to direct two sequels. In an interview, Johnson explained some of the reasoning behind that large paycheck and why he chose to work with Netflix instead of a traditional movie studio.
Johnson explained he was approached by Netflix after finishing the “Glass Onion” script, saying, “We had had a great experience with Lionsgate, but our deal with them was just for one movie. And so we were just, like, 'Let's kind of test and see what's going on out there.' And so we put it out there and they made us the offer and it was very evidently the right thing to do.”
The director also revealed he chose to take the money upfront and didn’t sign on for any other payment deals, meaning Johnson won’t make any money off its showing or marketing, saying, “This is it, man. [...] The check is cut.” "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery" hits theaters Thursday, November 23, 2022, and will be streaming on Netflix on December 23.