Knives Out 3 must feature the humor and charm of the previous two movies, but Wake Up Dead Man also needs to kill the franchise’s greatest casting trick — especially if it hopes to make way for future sequels. Knives Out took the world by storm back in 2019, with Rian Johnson’s whodunit rapidly gaining steam. Its popularity is largely due to its fun premise, stellar performances, and shocking ending. And Knives Out 2, titled Glass Onion, succeeds at replicating everything that makes the original great. It’s no wonder Netflix was so eager to snatch up the rights to Knives Out‘s sequels.

As of this writing, Netflix has only confirmed Knives Out 2 and 3 — the first of which debuted in 2022. Knives Out 3, titled Wake Up Dead Man, will premiere on the streamer in 2025, likely throwing Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc into another perplexing mystery. Although Blanc is charming enough to carry multiple sequels, Knives Out 3 really needs to break one casting trend that benefits the first few installments in the series. If the creators plan on making more sequels, they can’t continue this tradition much longer.

Knives Out 3 Needs To Start Bringing Back More Familiar Characters

Benoit Blanc Can’t Be The Only Familiar Face In Future Sequels

The first two Knives Out movies benefit from entirely different casts, and Knives Out 3 is poised to continue this franchise trend. Although Benoit Blanc appears in every Knives Out movie, there aren’t recurring characters in Glass Onion — and there’s been no word of any appearing in Wake Up Dead Man. This casting trick makes the series feel like an anthology, and it is a fun element of the first few installments. However, one has to wonder if Knives Out can keep this going beyond Wake Up Dead Man. If more sequels are greenlit, it makes sense to feature familiar faces.

After the first Knives Out film, viewers were certain that Ana de Armas’ Marta would become Blanc’s co-detective, but this was quickly debunked by Glass Onion. Janelle Monáe’s Helen Brand also makes a compelling partner for Blanc in the second movie, but the actor hasn’t been announced for Wake Up Dead Man‘s cast. And other characters, like Hugh Grant’s Phillip and LaKeith Stanfield’s Lieutenant Elliott, probably should show up again in Blanc’s everyday life. Unfortunately, Knives Out makes no efforts to bring back familiar characters — but for the sake of future sequels, Knives Out 3 should.

All Great Detectives Need A Team (& So Does Benoit Blanc)

Even Sherlock & Batman Have People Helping Them

Having recurring characters in Knives Out 3 and future sequels will give viewers more people to root for, but it will also benefit Benoit Blanc. All good detectives and heroes have teams, and it’s somewhat unbelievable that Blanc solves all these cases by himself. Sherlock Holmes has Watson, Mrs. Hudson, and Lestrade, and Batman receives help from characters like Alfred and Lucius Fox. It makes sense for Blanc to have a team in the Knives Out franchise, especially if he continues solving cases beyond Wake Up Dead Man.

A team will also put less pressure on Blanc — and thus, Craig — to keep viewers invested in the franchise. New characters open the door for new subplots and relationships, and while those aren’t necessities for a franchise like Knives Out, they would help keep it fresh. They’d also allow viewers to see new sides of Blanc, making the series’ protagonist even more intriguing in the process.

Fleshing Out Knives Out’s Recurring Cast Means Fleshing Out Benoit Blanc

Viewers Will Learn More About The Investigator With Recurring Characters Around

As Blanc is the focal point of the Knives Out franchise, he still needs to be one of the most interesting people on-screen. Fortunately, bringing back familiar characters won’t just flesh out the world around him; it will also allow viewers to explore the investigator in more depth. The first two Knives Out movies only show Blanc in his element: solving his cases. Glass Onion briefly shows him at home, but all this reveals is that he has a husband. It doesn’t delve into his personal life nearly as much as him interacting with Phillip in a sequel would.

Likewise, showing if Blanc keeps in touch with anyone from former cases would reveal a lot about his character. Depicting his ongoing relationships on-screen would show new sides of Craig’s character, making him a more well-rounded and intriguing lead overall. This would benefit Knives Out 3, but it will be especially important if the whodunit franchise continues with more movies after Wake Up Dead Man.