Wake Up Dead Man Debuts With the Lowest Opening in the Knives Out Franchise

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The newest film in the series broke a franchise record at the box office, but not in a way anyone hoped for. It unfortunately didn’t achieve immediate success with audiences.

The new movie, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, earned approximately $4 million during its opening weekend. While this is the lowest Thanksgiving weekend gross for a Knives Out film so far, it’s important to note the movie is playing in fewer theaters than others—currently only 600, which is significantly less than the widest releases (over 3,400). Only Hamnet is playing in fewer theaters.

Rian Johnson wrote and directed Wake Up Dead Man, the third film in his Knives Out series. Daniel Craig returns as the famous detective Benoit Blanc in this new, complex murder mystery, which features a large cast of well-known actors.

I’m so excited about Wake Up Dead Man! The cast is absolutely incredible – we’re talking Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Josh O’Connor, Mila Kunis, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Jeremy Renner, Thomas Haden Church, and Jeffrey Wright, just to name a few! Annie Hamilton, James Faulkner, Bridget Everett, and Daryl McCormack are in it too. And get this – Noah Segan is in all three Knives Out movies, playing a different character each time! Plus, Joseph Gordon-Levitt makes a fun cameo as a baseball announcer. It’s shaping up to be a real treat for movie fans like me.

Despite a small number of people seeing it in theaters, Wake Up Dead Man has been very well-received by critics and audiences. As of today, Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a 95% “Certified Fresh” rating based on 162 reviews. Viewers have also given it a high score, with a 94% rating on the site’s “Popcornmeter” based on over 500 user reviews.

What the Stars of Knives Out Think of Wake Up Dead Man

After seeing Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, actress Toni Collette was incredibly impressed. She described the film as “electrifying” and “inspiring,” praising its intelligence, humor, detailed storytelling, and strong performances. Collette also highlighted the movie’s ability to make viewers think about important questions about life and belief, ultimately calling it “an amazing movie.”

Collette described the wonderful atmosphere on the set of Knives Out. They filmed in a mansion and everyone preferred to gather in a small basement for tea and conversation, rather than stay in their individual trailers. She felt a strong sense of connection and joy amongst the cast and crew, attributing it to the direction of Rian Johnson.

Look, as a big fan of these movies, I’m really hoping we get a lot more Benoit Blanc! Daniel Craig has said he’s totally up for returning as long as Rian Johnson keeps writing the scripts. And honestly, that makes perfect sense – Craig has raved about how brilliant Johnson’s writing is, saying everything he needs to play the character is right there in the script. So, fingers crossed Johnson keeps the mysteries coming, because I’m definitely ready for more!

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is in theaters now. It will premiere on Netflix on Dec. 12.

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2025-11-30 21:08