It's time to peel back the layers on a new case.
In 2019, writer-director Rian Johnson set out to revitalize the classic whodunit with Knives Out. When the movie became a critical and commercial hit — and Oscar nominee — the filmmaker announced he was working on a sequel, which would see Daniel Craig's Detective Benoit Blanc solving a new mystery.
"Something I love about Agatha Christie is how she never tread water creatively," Johnson said, citing the iconic crime novelist as his inspiration for franchising Knives Out.
"Under the umbrella of the whodunnit, she wrote spy thrillers, proto-slasher horrors, serial killer hunts, gothic romances, psychological character studies, glam travelogues."
He continued, "When I made Knives Out, that’s what excited me about the prospect of making more mysteries with Daniel as Benoit Blanc — to emulate Christie and have every film be like a whole new book, with its own tone, ambition, reason for being… and (ta dah) title."
Now, we have our first clues to Blanc's newest case: Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, featuring a new mystery, a starry new cast, and the same trusty sleuth to connect all the pieces. Read on for everything to know about the Knives Out sequel.
What is 'Glass Onion' about?
The Massachusetts mansion that served as the crime scene for the first movie is being swapped for an international locale. Netflix teased the synopsis for Glass Onion as follows:
When tech billionaire Miles Bron invites some of his nearest and dearest for a getaway on his private Greek island, it soon becomes clear that all is not perfect in paradise. And when someone turns up dead, well, who better than Blanc to peel back the layers of intrigue?
In developing the Knives Out follow-up, Johnson took inspiration from classic films such as 1973's The Last of Sheila and 1982's Evil Under the Sun, describing Glass Onion as a "roller coaster and not a crossword puzzle."
When does the movie come out?
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery will premiere on Sept. 10 at the Toronto International Film Festival before streaming on Netflix on Dec. 23, with a limited theater release to be announced.
Who's starring in 'Glass Onion'?
Craig is the only original cast member returning for sequel, reprising his role as the private investigator with a distinct Southern drawl. Johnson has teased that audiences will learn more about Blanc himself in the sequel.
"Blanc was always outside of the sphere of our protagonist and was a little bit more of an enigma in the first movie," Johnson told Netflix's Tudum. "Whereas, in this one, Blanc gets an invitation to come to this murder mystery on this island. We're very much meeting these people and getting into this world through his eyes."
Oscar nominee Edward Norton stars as the aforementioned billionaire Miles Bron, with the cast of guests-turned-suspects including:
Janelle Monáe as Cassandra "Andi" Brand: A tech entrepreneur who co-founded Bron's company, Alpha, when the friends hung out at the Glass Onion bar in New York City
Kathryn Hahn as Claire Debella: An N.P.R.tote-bag carrying khaki monochrome-wearing Connecticut governor running for Senate.
Kate Hudson as Birdie Jay: A fashionista-turned-athleisure wear designer who arrives with her anxious assistant, Peg (Jessica Henwick).
Dave Bautista as Duke Cody: A YouTube star attending the party with his younger girlfriend and assistant Whiskey (Madelyn Cline).
Leslie Odom Jr. as Lionel Toussaint: A scientist who works for Norton's Miles Bron, running Alpha's aerospace company.
"I imagine that as complicated as these relationships are, these people have history, so what keeps them coming back together?" Odom Jr. teased to Empire Magazine. "As fraught as we arrive on that island in Greece at the start of this film, that's now where we began. Love is complicated, friendships can be complicated."
Who's behind the scenes?
Johnson, who earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay with Knives Out, is directing the follow up from his own script. Also returning is cinematographer Steve Yedlin, composer Nathan Johnson, and editor Bob Duscay.
The Knives Out franchise has a new home in Netflix, however. In 2021, the streamer bought the rights to two sequels, with the first being Glass Onion. (The first movie was distributed by Lionsgate and MRC.) Both Knives Out and Glass Onion are produced by Johnson and his producing partner Ram Bergman through their production company, T-Street.
Is there a trailer?
Yes, and you can watch it right here:
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