Netflix released the first trailer for Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, giving fans a look at Daniel Craigâs return as Benoit Blanc in what Rian Johnson calls the darkest chapter yet.
Wake Up Dead Man hits select theaters on November 26 before streaming on Netflix on December 12.
Netflix Sets Up Blancâs Most Dangerous Case
The new trailer highlights that this isnât a typical Blanc investigation. The detective calls the case âperfectly impossibleâ as he arrives in upstate New York to solve an inexplicable death inside a tight church community.
Johnson says this was the hardest script heâs written, signaling a heavier tone for the third installment after Knives Out and Glass Onion.
A Church Community in Crisis
The story centers on Jud Duplenticy (Josh OâConnor), a former boxer turned priest sent to assist Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin). Their parish is filled with tension long before the murder hits.
The congregation includes:
- Martha Delacroix (Glenn Close),
- Samson Holt (Thomas Haden Church),
- Vera Draven (Kerry Washington),
- Cy Draven (Daryl McCormack),
- Nat Sharp (Jeremy Renner),
- Lee Ross (Andrew Scott),
- Simone Vivane (Cailee Spaeny).
When someone dies in front of the entire parish, local police chief Geraldine Scott (Mila Kunis) calls in Blanc to pick the situation apart.
Rian Johnson Leans Into Dark Comedy
OâConnor says the balance between Johnsonâs comedy and the scriptâs sharper edge is what drew him to the role. Kunis even jokes in the trailer that some âScooby-Doo shitâ is happening, framing the movieâs mix of humor and tension.
Johnson is aiming for a more serious mystery, but Blancâs charm still drives the tone as he navigates secrets, feuds, and a growing sense of danger.
Release Dates
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
- In select theaters: November 26
- Streaming on Netflix: December 12
Watch the trailer:
