The behind the Netflix whodunit hit Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Rian Johnson, has teased what to expect from the upcoming Knives Out 3, with the filmmaker aiming to change things up both tonally and thematically for the third outing. Discussing the threequel with Variety, Johnson hopes to once again echo the tales of Agatha Christie while changing things up. And it’s something that has left him feeling rather jazzed.
"What was exciting about doing [Glass Onion] was the notion of trying to emulate Christie with a completely new story. I'm starting to work on the third movie now, and that's also what's got me creatively jazzed: I don't have to replicate the last movie at all. The goal is to strike out in a completely new direction tonally and thematically."
While both Knives Out and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery have maintained that old-school, whodunit feel, Johnson is resistant to manipulate audiences with simple nostalgia. Instead, Knives Out 3 will once again attempt to create a similar experience on a much deeper level. As opposed to just reminding fans of things from the past.
“I’m just trying to find something that I have deep roots in, that I have a deep love of, and get back to the experience of where that love came from. Not by telling audiences, ‘Remember back when we loved these things?’ But by actually trying to remember what my experience was and figure out how the audience can experience that in a fresh way. Nostalgia is the enemy. It’s the exact opposite of what I’m always trying to get to: something vibrant and sharp that feels very present.”
Could this total tonal and thematic change involve The Muppets? Only time will tell. Knives Out 3 is currently in the early stages of production, and will debut on Netflix.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery Has Received Critical Acclaim & is a Big Hit for Netflix
Written and directed by Rian Johnson, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery finds Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc returning to peel back the layers in an all-new whodunit. This fresh adventure finds the intrepid detective at a lavish private estate on a Greek island, but how and why he comes to be there is only the first of many puzzles.
Blanc soon meets a distinctly disparate group of friends gathering at the invitation of billionaire Miles Bron for their yearly reunion. As in all the best murder mysteries, each character harbors their own secrets, lies and motivations, and when someone turns up dead, everyone is a suspect.
Much like its predecessor, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery has amassed a star-studded supporting cast, including Leslie Odom Jr. (One Night in Miami..., The Many Saints of Newark), Janelle Monáe (Hidden Figures, Antebellum), Kathryn Hahn (WandaVision), Kate Hudson (Almost Famous, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days), Jessica Henwick (Iron Fist), Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Endgame), Madelyn Cline (Boy Erased, Outer Banks), Ethan Hawke (The Black Phone, Moon Knight).
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery began a one-week limited theatrical release back on November 23, before landing on Netflix on December 23, 2022. The sequel has been met with critical acclaim and has since proved to be a major hit for the streaming service, with many excited to see where Benoit Blanc ends up next.