2017’sStar Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jediwas definitely a surprise and to many, not a good one. While the film was praised by critics and of course would go on to become a financial success (racking up $1.333B worldwide), it eventually caused a divide amongst fans due to the film’s divergence from previousStar Warsformulas, character inconsistencies, and not further exploring the stories laid out in J.J. Abrams' 2015Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens. With a current audience score of 42% on rotten tomatoes, filmmaker Rian Johnson came roaring back in 2019 with the Oscar-nominatedKnives Out.
Johnson is certainly no stranger to creating original, thought-provoking stories that tend to subvert expectations. His earlierfilmslike the neo-noir mysteryBrick, the caper comedy-dramaThe Brothers Bloom, and the sci-fi thrillerLooperall prove Johnson’s status as one of the most intriguing filmmakers in the industry. And while he most likely did not expect the reactions surroundinghis unique take on theStar Warsuniverse, Johnson’s most recently released mystery feature appeared to win back plenty of fans.
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Knives Out featuredDaniel Craig as a master detective tasked with investigating the death of the patriarch of a wealthy, dysfunctional family. The film, which included a star-studded ensemble of Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Lakeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford, Jaeden Martell, and Christopher Plummer, became another box office and critical success, with much praise directed towards the performances and writing, as the film also earned Johnson an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. And now with a sequel on the way from Netflix, while also being the first time Johnson’s filmography where he is directing a sequel to one of his own films, there’s no better time to discuss the highly anticipated film. Here’s what we know so far aboutKnives Out 2.
Pre-production and Filming
While Johnson mentioned before the first film’s release that he would like to create sequels following more of Craig’s character in further mysteries, as he already begin writing numerous drafts, it became official in March 2021 when Netflix bought the rights to twoKnives Outsequels for over $450M, outbidding many other studious (including Lionsgate, which produced the first film). Filming was then set for June 28th, 2021, with Johnson collaborating yet again with longtime producer Ram Bergman and cinematographer Steve Yedlin.Knives Out 2was produced on a $30-$50M budget.
Filming kicked off on the island of Spetses, Greece, taking place between June 28 and June 23, 2025. Johnson then confirmed via Twitter that principal photography was halfway through and that filming would continue in other locations. Johnson shared in September a black-and-white photo on his Instagram of the Empire State Building in New York City,as principal photography then officially concludedon July 17, 2025.
Plot and Cast
While not too many plot details have been revealed, Johnson confirmed before production began thatKnives Out 2will not be a continuation of the first film, but rather a spin-off/standalone film that stars Craig’s character. Johnson revealed that he had a blast working with Craig and thought that his show-stealing performance and character deserved to be witnessed on the big screen yet again. The film will explore new characters, new stories, and new locations (hence why filming is taking place in so many different places), as Johnson has compared the sequel to Agatha Christie’s stories starring Hercule Poirot.
Reprising his role as the famous detective Benoit Blanc, Craig will receive $100M for his work on both sequels. In May 2021, big names such asFight Club’sEdward Norton,Guardians of the Galaxy’sDave Bautista,WandaVision’sKathryn Hahn,Hidden Figures’Janelle Monáe,Hamilton’sLeslie Odom Jr., andAlmost Famous’Kate Hudson were added to the cast. Bautista shared in an interview that when he received a call from Johnson, he didn’t know it would lead to the possibility of him being cast, as Johnson encouraged him to audition for the role.Outer Banks’Madelyn Cline,Training Day’sEthan Hawke,Game of Thrones' Jessica Henwick were added the following month.
Any Footage?
As of now, no trailers or clips have been released, but fans can expect something soon with filming having wrapped roughly two months ago. For now, though, fans can view some of the on-set photos released by Johnson and other cast and crew members.
It will be interesting to see in what waysJohnson changes up the sequel’s formula from its predecessor, as the director is always known for taking the story in unique directions that many fans wouldn’t have thought of. Either way, though, there’s no doubt Johnson will create something for audiences that is as fresh as it is exciting.
Knives Out 2is set to release in 2022.
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