“Wake Up Dead Man”: A Knives Out Mystery (2025) written & directed by Rian Johnson, starring Daniel Craig, Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis and Jeremy Renner / Z- View

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (2025)

Director: Rian Johnson

Screenplay: Rian Johnson

Stars: Daniel Craig, Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, Thomas Haden Church, James Faulkner, Noah Segan, Kit Burden and Jeffrey Wright.

Tagline: He works in mysterious ways.

The Plot…

Benoit Blanc is asked to help solve a murder that occurred at Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude, a rural parish in upstate New York.  Jefferson Wicks, the controversial and charismatic Monsigner was stabbed in the back with a devil’s head knife.  Wicks was murdered in the middle of his sermon. He briefly stepped into a closet where he was killed.  Wicks had been in full view of the assembly.  No one else was in the closet and there were no other entrances or secret passageways.

Jud Duplenticy, the new assistant Priest, is the main suspect.  Jud claims his innocence and reluctantly works with Benoit to figure out who pulled off an impossible murder.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Benoit Blanc is this generation’s Columbo.  And that’s a wonderful thing.

Wake Up Dead Man is my favorite of the three Knives Out Mysteries.

Josh Brolin and Glenn Close shine.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (2025) rates 5 of 5 stars.