Rian Johnson Refuses To Treat Knives Out As IP — He’s Directing Every Sequel

Rian Johnson is not handing off Knives Out to anyone else. He says the series lives and dies with him, which, in a world where franchises get passed around like a fruitcake, is kind of refreshing.

'I don't see it as IP. Each Knives Out film is something I want to make. If that stops being the case, we won't do another one,' Johnson told Variety, confirming he'll be the only person writing and directing these movies.

Where the series stands

• Knives Out (2019) — The original whodunnit with Daniel Craig and Ana de Armas.
• Glass Onion (2022) — Benoit Blanc's second case, bigger and splashier.
• Wake Up Dead Man — In theaters now, hits Netflix on December 12. Craig is back again as Benoit Blanc.

Wake Up Dead Man is pulling strong numbers with a 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes right now. One recent 4-star review was especially into Josh O'Connor going toe-to-toe with Craig, called the movie a thoughtful but still fun whodunnit, and said it trades tech titan satire for crooked clergy — a noticeable pivot — while landing closer to the first film and feeling like a step up from Glass Onion.

So, will there be more?

Probably, as long as Johnson wants to wake up and solve another puzzle. Earlier this month he said he felt energized after this one, and that he and Daniel Craig have already started noodling on what the next mystery could look like. The difference here is Johnson flat-out refuses to treat Knives Out like a studio-managed brand. No rotating directors, no writer-for-hire sequels — just him, or nothing.

The takeaway

If you like your murder mysteries with a single creative voice steering the ship, Johnson has you covered. Wake Up Dead Man is in theaters now and starts streaming on Netflix December 12.