Jamie Lee Curtis is an iconic actress appearing in countless films, from her role as Laurie Strode in the Halloween franchise to appearing in True Lies and Trading Places. She most recently appeared in Everything Everywhere All at Once, with Halloween Ends arriving later next week on Oct. 14. Her films have seen massive success with critics, fans, and the box office. However, there is one project in particular that Curtis was surprised with: Knives Out.
The 2019 murder mystery starred a fantastic ensemble cast with an excellent script and great direction from Rian Johnson. Knives Out had all the potential to succeed, but Curtis didn't see it that way, at least not while filming. During an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the 63-year-old actor discussed her more than 40-year career in the industry and explained her process of filming Knives Out.
"I was actually quite isolated. I was living in this weird hotel by myself, and a lot of the movie, I'm not in. I was alone for a lot, and it was a very tough time. It turned out to be this fantastic movie. I would never have known that the movie we were making was the movie that we made. It wasn't evident to me, because Ryan was so specific in his methodology, and it's not like we're all watching monitors and seeing all the work. We had no idea. We'd just do our little thing and then go home. It was just such a delightful surprise."
Given the twists and turns that Knives Out takes, it's not surprising that Curtis was unaware of the film's overall plot. It takes more than one viewing to completely comprehend everything in Rian Johnson's project, which is part of why his film is so successful.
Knives Out's Box Office Success Led to the Sequel
Knives Out was not only a massive success with critics and audiences but also landed huge numbers at the box office. The budget was $40 million, with the movie totaling $311 million by the time its theatrical run came to an end. The brand-new IP proved successful, and everyone wanted in on the action. According to a Variety report, Lionsgate eventually shopped around the sequels, with Netflix acquiring the rights for a lofty $450 million.
The streaming service will hope to make its money back as Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is nearly ready for release. The sequel takes Daniel Craig's Benoit Blanc to Greece for another whodunnit, with yet another stellar cast. Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista, Ethan Hawke, Jessica Henwick, Kathryn Hahn, Madelyn Cline, Janelle Monáe, and Leslie Odom. Jr. will join the famed southern detective in his second case on the big screen. The film's cast might be aware of its future success given it's the second time around for Rian Johnson, and fans eagerly anticipate the long-awaited follow-up. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery arrives on Netflix later this year, on Dec. 23.