The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has revealed tantalizing details about *Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery*, the third installment in Rian Johnson’s acclaimed *Knives Out* franchise, and one of the most anticipated films of the year’s second half. Described on the festival’s website as the darkest and most inventive entry in the series, the film veers away from the satirical tone of its predecessors, embracing a gothic, restrained thriller vibe.
Set in a small American town, *Wake Up Dead Man* centers on a mysterious murder tied to the local church. Daniel Craig reprises his role as the sharp-witted detective Benoit Blanc, who finds himself entangled in a tense conflict between an authoritarian elderly priest (Josh Brolin) and his ambitious young successor (Josh O’Connor). As Blanc digs deeper, the investigation unravels themes of faith, control, suppressed guilt, and power dynamics within a tight-knit community.
The film boasts a stellar ensemble cast, including Mila Kunis as a local police officer, Glenn Close as the priest’s right-hand confidante, and Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, and Jeremy Renner in key roles. Notably, Renner, who made a cheeky cameo in *Glass Onion* via his hot sauce brand, steps into a full-fledged role this time around.
TIFF hails *Wake Up Dead Man* as the “strongest and most ingenious” chapter of the franchise, praising its atmosphere, which draws inspiration from Edgar Allan Poe’s *The Murders in the Rue Morgue*. Expect a blend of gothic aesthetics, claustrophobic settings, and the puzzle of an impossible crime, hallmarks of Johnson’s knack for reinventing the whodunit.
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Clocking in at 140 minutes, the film will make its world premiere on September 6, 2025, as part of TIFF’s Special Presentations program. Audiences can catch it on Netflix starting December 12, 2025, when it’s sure to captivate with its moody, intricate mystery.
