Netflix just dropped a whole lot of cash to ensure Knives Out 2 and 3 have “Netflix Original” stamped on them. The streaming site paid $450 million to acquire the rights to the mystery movies, according to Variety.
Rian Johnson will return to direct and Daniel Craig will be back as the charming Benoit Blanc. The filmmaker is reportedly searching for new cast members imminently, with Knives Out 2 going into production this June.
Johnson has already revealed that, besides Craig, he wants to tell a new story with new characters. “It’s been such a mindfuck, because I sat on the idea for the first one for 10 years. And with this one, I’m starting with a blank page,” Johnson told Interview magazine (opens in new tab).
“It’s not really a Knives Out sequel. I need to come up with a title for it so I can stop calling it The Knives Out Sequel because it’s just Daniel Craig as the same detective with a totally new cast.”
Johnson is certainly keeping busy at the moment. The Last Jedi director is still working on a Star Wars trilogy and he’s creating a new mystery series, titled Poker Face, for Peacock. That will star Russian Doll’s Natasha Lyonne.
“I’m very excited to dig into the type of fun, character driven, case-of-the-week mystery goodness I grew up watching,” Johnson said in a statement about Poker Face. “It’s my happy place. Having Natasha as a partner in crime is a dream, and we’ve found the perfect home at Peacock.”
In the meantime, from Spike Lee joints to Oscar-nominated epics, these are the best Netflix movies available to watch right now.