.jpg)
You’ve probably seen the long hair and the gothic font by now. Benoit Blanc is back, but things look a lot different than the colorful, sun-drenched chaos of Greece. Honestly, the third Knives Out movie, officially titled Wake Up Dead Man, feels like a massive pivot for Rian Johnson. It’s darker. It’s grittier. It’s also sitting right at the top of the Netflix charts as we settle into 2026.
If you just finished watching it and your head is spinning, or if you’re trying to figure out why everyone is talking about a diamond called "Eve’s Apple," you aren't alone. This isn't just another whodunnit. It’s basically a locked-room mystery wrapped in a mid-life crisis for our favorite Southern detective.
The Third Knives Out Movie: What Really Happened?
The setup is classic Johnson. We’ve got a small-town church in upstate New York, Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude. It’s run by Monsignor Jefferson Wicks, played by a terrifyingly intense Josh Brolin. Wicks is the kind of guy who uses the pulpit to stoke fire and brimstone, which naturally puts him at odds with the new guy, Father Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor).
Then, the "impossible" happens.
During a Good Friday service, Wicks steps into a storage closet. Everyone is watching. Nobody else goes in. Seconds later, he’s dead—stabbed in the back with a decorative "devil’s head" finial. It’s a literal locked room.
Why the cast is so stacked
One of the best things about the third Knives Out movie is the sheer level of talent Johnson managed to pull in. You've got:
- Glenn Close as Martha Delacroix, the church's ultra-devout secretary who knows where all the bodies are buried.
- Jeremy Renner making a big return as Dr. Nat Sharp, a local doctor with a drinking problem.
- Mila Kunis as Geraldine Scott, the town’s no-nonsense police chief who actually calls in Benoit Blanc.
- Andrew Scott and Kerry Washington playing characters who are basically just waiting for Wicks to die so they can get what they’re owed.
It’s an ensemble that actually works because they all have a reason to hate the Monsignor. Wicks was planning to expose all their secrets during an Easter service. He also claimed he found a legendary missing fortune.
Breaking down the big twists
Most people get the ending of Wake Up Dead Man a bit mixed up because of the "resurrection." Let’s be clear: Wicks did not come back from the dead.
The real killer of Wicks was Dr. Nat Sharp (Jeremy Renner). He used a clever bit of misdirection with a second finial and a heavy dose of sedatives in Wicks' flask. He made it look like a stabbing that happened in seconds, when the "knife" was actually planted earlier.
But then there's the second murder. And the third.
The "ghost" walking through the woods was actually the groundskeeper, Samson Holt (Thomas Haden Church), dressed in Wicks' clothes. This was Martha’s plan. She wanted to preserve the church's reputation by staging a miracle. But things went south when Nat Sharp got greedy. He killed Samson to get his hands on "Eve's Apple"—a massive diamond that the church's founder had literally swallowed before he died.
The Benoit Blanc evolution
We need to talk about Daniel Craig here. He’s sportin' much longer hair this time around. He’s also less of a "god-like" figure in this one. In the previous films, Blanc is always three steps ahead. Here, he actually gets stumped by the "miracle" for a moment.
There’s a scene where he’s standing in the pulpit, ready to reveal the killer, and he just... stops. He lets the sun hit him and decides to let the killer confess on their own. It’s a very different vibe for him. It shows that even Benoit Blanc can be moved by something other than just cold, hard logic.
Why this movie matters for Netflix in 2026
Netflix paid a fortune for these sequels—we’re talking north of $450 million. While Glass Onion was a huge hit, Wake Up Dead Man feels like the movie that actually justifies the price tag. It’s more atmospheric. It draws heavily from Gothic horror and even Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula.
It also proves that the "anthology" format is the way to go. Aside from Blanc, nothing carries over. You don't need to remember what happened in Massachusetts or Greece to enjoy this.
Common misconceptions
- Is it a prequel? No. Despite the "Wake Up Dead Man" title and the long hair, this takes place after the events of Glass Onion.
- Is there a post-credits scene? Not really. There’s a nice moment with Father Jud reopening the church, but don't expect a Marvel-style teaser for Knives Out 4.
- Where was it filmed? They actually shot a lot of it in London, even though it's set in upstate New York. Tax credits are a powerful thing.
What you should do next
If you loved the religious themes and the "locked room" vibes of the third Knives Out movie, you should definitely check out the Father Brown stories by G.K. Chesterton. Rian Johnson has been vocal about how much they influenced the script for Wake Up Dead Man.
Also, keep an eye on Netflix's social channels. There’s already buzz about whether Daniel Craig will sign on for a fourth and fifth film. Given how well this one is performing, it’s almost a certainty. For now, go back and watch the "resurrection" scene again. Now that you know it’s Samson in a costume, the way he moves through the mausoleum looks completely different.