Knives Out sequel will have an entirely new cast except for Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc
"I'm starting with a blank page," says Rian Johnson
We don’t know what to expect from a Knives Out sequel – but the prospect compels us. Rian Johnson’s subversive mystery is back for a second stab at the whodunnit genre, though it sounds like only Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc will be returning from the original cast.
In conversation with The Devil All The Time director Antonio Campos for Interview magazine (side-note: we were also in conversation with Campos recently, which you can read here), Johnson laid out his vague plans for what’s next for Knives Out – and it starts with a blank page.
“It’s been such a mindfuck, because I sat on the idea for the first one for 10 years. And with this one, I’m starting with a blank page,” Johnson said. “It’s not really a Knives Out sequel. I need to come up with a title for it so I can stop calling it The Knives Out Sequel because it’s just Daniel Craig as the same detective with a totally new cast.”
Of course, we don’t know the hole – sorry, whole – story yet, but it’s a good enough start. For one thing, it’s looking like it might not be called Knives Out 2: Electric Boogaloo (or any other variation of Knives Out, but I imagine the marketing team will soon have a say in that).
Perhaps most importantly, no return of Chris Evans’ shit-eating grin, nor Ana de Armas’ barftastic sidekick, Marta. The latter exclusion is a shame as she definitely had potential to be a long-term Watson to Craig’s southern Sherlock.
Knives Out 2 is all but official, meanwhile, with it being called a “Lionsgate franchise” during an earnings call in February. Now we wait for the next mystery to be solved: who’s going to appear opposite Daniel Craig?
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I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at 12DOVE, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.