Netflix has a set a limited theatrical release for Rian Johnson’ third Knives Out movie, Wake Up Dead Man, for Nov. 26 with a streaming date of Dec. 12.
It’s not clear yet how wide Knives Out 3 will be or whether the big circuits will play it. Knives Out movies have always played the Thanksgiving frame. While it’s par for the course for Netflix to have limited theatrical releases for some of its Q3 and Q4 titles to qualify for awards season, the streamer recently had a two-day play at all theaters (sans AMC) for Kpop Demon Hunters Singalong which made $19M according to sources with hard knowledge on ticket sales (not the $18M that’s been out there). AMC didn’t play Kpop since it didn’t have a theatrical window, but they will play Netflix’s upcoming Narnia movie from Greta Gerwig which will have a window.
Back in 2022, the big circuits, AMC, Regal and Cinemark, played Glass Onion: Knives Out 2 at 696 theaters where it grossed $15M in its first week. There were several sell out shows. The original 2019 MRC movie, released by Lionsgate, was a pure theatrical release and quite successful grossing $165.3M stateside and over $312M worldwide. During Covid, the Knives Out sequels were sold to Netflix in a $400M package, which Deadline first told you about.
Wake Up Dead Man, like its previous Knives Out installments, is making its world premiere at TIFF.
Pic’s blurb: Benoit Blanc (Craig) returns for his most dangerous case yet in the third and darkest chapter of Rian Johnson’s murder mystery opus. When young priest Jud Duplenticy (O’Connor) is sent to assist charismatic firebrand Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Brolin), it’s clear that all is not well in the pews. Wicks’s modest-but-devoted flock includes devout church lady Martha Delacroix (Close), circumspect groundskeeper Samson Holt (Haden Church), tightly-wound lawyer Vera Draven (Washington), aspiring politician Cy Draven (McCormack), town doctor Nat Sharp (Renner), best-selling author Lee Ross (Scott), and concert cellist Simone Vivane (Spaeny). After a sudden and seemingly impossible murder rocks the town, the lack of an obvious suspect prompts local police chief Geraldine Scott (Kunis) to join forces with renowned detective Benoit Blanc to unravel a mystery that defies all logic.