A Festival Tour Before Netflix
The film will make its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, followed by a stop at the London Film Festival in October. From there, it heads into select theaters on November 26, just in time for awards-qualifying buzz. Netflix subscribers will catch it worldwide on December 12.
That staggered rollout is strategic. By threading the needle between festivals, a limited theatrical release, and streaming, Netflix positions Johnson's gothic whodunit for the 98th Academy Awards while still delivering the holiday-season streaming hit it wants.
The Darkest Chapter Yet
If Knives Out had the breezy confidence of a parlor mystery and Glass Onion reveled in absurdist spectacle, Wake Up Dead Man drapes itself in shadow. The synopsis teases the “darkest chapter” yet, plunging Blanc (Daniel Craig) into a small-town murder rooted in the rituals and secrets of a church community.
The lineup is one for the ages: Josh O'Connor as the troubled young priest, Josh Brolin as the firebrand monsignor, Glenn Close as the pious church matron, Jeremy Renner as the town doctor, Andrew Scott as a celebrated author, Mila Kunis as the sharp-eyed police chief, and a handful of others—each ripe with motive, each framed by Johnson's love for archetypes with cracks in their façades.
It's a return to the locked-room feel of Knives Out, but filtered through stained glass.
Gothic Whispers in the Trailer
That first trailer—yes, the one scored like a dirge—confirmed what the title hinted. Wake Up Dead Man, borrowed from U2's 1997 song, isn't coy about its intent. The camera lingers on candlelight, tombstones, and steeples as if Johnson has swapped the sunny Greek isles of Glass Onion for a Hammer horror backdrop.
And it works. There's something visually thrilling about watching Craig's Blanc—once again clad in cream suits that seem perpetually in need of laundering—navigate a mystery soaked in death rites and superstition. This isn't just another case. It feels like the one that might scar him.
Why the Release Strategy Matters
A November 26 theatrical bow means audiences can experience Johnson's latest puzzle box before it hits Netflix on December 12. For cinephiles, that matters. A communal gasp in a theater during a Knives Out twist is half the fun.
And let's not ignore the obvious: Netflix is learning. By staging its biggest films on the festival circuit (Toronto, London) and giving them prestige theatrical play, it courts critics and the Academy without fully abandoning its streaming-first DNA. This model worked well enough for Glass Onion, but Wake Up Dead Man—with its awards-friendly pedigree and stacked cast—could push deeper into Oscar territory.
Key Things to Know About Wake Up Dead Man
Confirmed Dates
TIFF premiere in September, London Film Festival in October, theatrical release on November 26, Netflix release on December 12.
Tone & Setting
The most gothic and sinister Knives Out yet, set in a small town with the church and cemetery as central locations.
Ensemble Cast
Daniel Craig returns as Blanc, joined by Josh O'Connor, Josh Brolin, Glenn Close, Jeremy Renner, Mila Kunis, Andrew Scott, Kerry Washington, and more.
Title's Musical Roots
Like the first two films, the title riffs on a song—this time U2's Wake Up Dead Man.
Awards Angle
With a festival tour and theatrical run, Netflix positions the film as both a streaming event and an Oscar contender.
The question isn't whether Benoit Blanc will solve the case—he always does. The question is how many pieces of himself he'll lose along the way. And in this third outing, the answer might not be so clean.
What about you—do you prefer your murder mysteries served bright and clever, or shadowy and sinister?
