The world premiere of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday evening had the atmosphere of a sermon rather than a traditional red-carpet event. Director Rian Johnson opened the screening at the Princess of Wales Theatre with a playful, church-inspired call to the audience: “We’re going back to church. Can I get an Amen?” he asked, before adding, “One more, give me an Amen!” The crowd responded with rousing applause, which continued through the end of the two-hour screening.
The latest installment in the Knives Out series for Netflix takes a darker tone, exploring themes of faith, logic, and morality in a divided society. Johnson explained during the post-screening Q&A that his personal experiences shaped the film’s spiritual undertones. “I grew up very religious. I’m not religious anymore. I have a lot of complicated feelings about it. And I wanted to kind of work into it and write about that. And you have a script at the end of it,” he said.
Set in a small-town church, the story revolves around a clash between two priests: Josh Brolin plays a domineering, almost cult-like figure, while Josh O’Connor portrays a more compassionate and human leader, highlighting the tension between authority and empathy.
Johnson emphasised that, despite its thematic depth, the film’s primary goal is entertainment. “It’s a movie, and it needs to work as a roller coaster ride, not a crossword puzzle. If you’re focused on the audience trying to figure it out, then that’s going to get boring really quick. It’s all about the characters. It’s all about the actual story,” he said.
Detective Benoit Blanc, portrayed once again by Daniel Craig, takes on a gentler, kinder approach to solving this latest mystery, diverging from his previous single-minded pursuit of a killer. Craig also praised Johnson for managing a star-studded ensemble cast that includes Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Glenn Close, and Kerry Washington. “Putting this many stars into one film is literally the definition of herding cats. It’s logistically a nightmare. And this is the man that put it together and led us,” Craig said.
Wake Up Dead Man is scheduled to release on Netflix on December 12, positioning it for an awards-season run. Johnson, a two-time Oscar nominee for his previous Knives Out screenplays, continues to blend clever whodunnit storytelling with social commentary in this third chapter of the series.
