Kerry Washington Reveals Why “Wake Up Dead Man” Stands Apart From The Other “Knives Out” Films
Kerry Washington is pulling back the curtain on what makes the next Knives Out film unlike anything we’ve seen before. The 48-year-old actress joined Daniel Craig and the rest of the cast for the world premiere of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 6, where she teased the gothic, faith-driven themes of the movie.
“[Wake Up Dead Man] grapples with these real issues of faith and the idea of having the courage to examine what faith really means for you and how you practice your faith,” Kerry explained, noting that writer-director Rian Johnson leaned on Edgar Allan Poe as inspiration. In her words, “And just, totally, the world of it is so gothic. Rian brings in Edgar Allan Poe as a inspiration.”
The film casts Josh O’Connor as a priest who helps Craig’s detective Benoit Blanc unravel the murder of another priest, played by Josh Brolin. The case, described as “the impossible crime,” adds a chilling new layer to Blanc’s ever-expanding mystery repertoire.
Even with such heavy subject matter, Kerry admits the experience of making the film was just as joyful as fans imagine. “I really enjoyed the first film and then the second was so different, but also extraordinary,” she said. “And I had heard from so many actors how much fun it was to do these movies, so that was a big part of the draw. The writing is so good, the director’s amazing, but also you hear that these casts are great, that they’re good to be around.”
Glenn Close, who also stars in the film, couldn’t stop gushing about the set design. “The sets were gold,” she said, with Kerry quickly agreeing: “The sets were gorgeous.” Still, both admitted they haven’t actually seen the final cut. “And yes, it’s true, we’ve read it, but I mean, we were at dinner the other night, and Rian was like ‘Oh, that scene where you do that thing.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, good to know that’s still in the movie.’ We have no idea what the final edit looks like,’” Kerry laughed.
Joining Kerry, Daniel, Josh, and Glenn in the star-studded ensemble are Cailee Spaeny, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, and Andrew Scott. Like the films before it, the third chapter promises both a fresh spin and the same delicious intrigue that turned the franchise into a global hit. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery hits select theaters Nov. 26 before streaming on Netflix on December 12.
