Glass Onion Director Addresses How Many Knives Out Movies There Will Be

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery director Rian Johnson addresses how many Knives Out movies will he make. Johnson’s follow-up to his universally acclaimed 2019 movie, Knives Out, is one of the most hotly anticipated Netflix movies of the year. The sequel sees Daniel Craig reprise his role as the master detective Benoit Blanc. In the new movie, Benoit is invited by Tech billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton) to a murder mystery party getaway on Glass Onion, Bron’s private Greek Island. But the joy doesn’t last long as soon a real murder takes place on the island, leaving it up to Benoit to solve the case. Playing new suspects in the Knives Out 2 cast are Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline, Kate Hudson, and Dave Bautista, with Ethan Hawke, Natasha Lyonne, and Hugh Grant also making appearances.

Now in a new interview with Total Film, Johnson reveals if he has plans to make more Knives Out movies after Glass Onion and Knives Out 3, which Netflix has already greenlit. According to the director, as long as he has new stories to tell that offer viewers something “new” and “surprising,” he is fully onboard with developing Knives Out into a movie series that expands beyond a trilogy. Read what he said below:

“As long as the two of us are still having fun, and as long as we can continue to make these truly new experiences each time, and find new ways to challenge ourselves. The second we feel like we’re repeating ourselves, or just turning a crank on a machine, we’ll stop. Because to me, the whole conception of this whole series is the same way Agatha Christie did it with her books – we’re doing something new and surprising every time.”

How Long Can A Knives Out Franchise Last?

Johnson’s wish of spawning an entire film series out of Knives Out isn’t surprising considering he was already interested in making a sequel focused on a new case for Craig’s Benoit Blanc even before the release of the first film. At that time, however, it seemed that Lionsgate had held onto the rights to the film as the studio was the one to officially announce the sequel in 2020. But Johnson later clarified that he had retained the rights with Bergman, which were later shopped to other distributors without Lionsgate’s involvement. Ultimately, Netflix won the bidding war then, acquiring the rights to the two Knives Out standalone sequels written and directed by Johnson under a $469 million deal.

While it’s hard to answer how long can the Knives Out franchise last, the odds seem to be in the favor of the movie series’ continuation. After Knives Out‘s financial success and multiple nominations at the 92nd Academy Awards, Glass Onion has also received glowing reviews after its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. As per critics, Craig remains a show-stealer and the flavorful shell game mystery is also elevated with a refreshingly talented ensemble. Considering Glass Onion‘s enthusiastic reception, it won’t be surprising if Netflix commits to producing more Knives Out movies after Glass Onion and Knives Out 3, although for such a deal to materialize, the sequel’s financial performance will also need to justify the investment.

Finally, as asserted by Johnson himself, his and Craig’s enthusiasm for more Knives Out stories is a key determining factor for how many Knives Out movies will be there. Johnson claims his Star Wars trilogy remains in development (but there’s no official timeline in place), and Craig has retired from his 15-year run as James Bond. The duo should have free time to collaborate for more movies. But just because they have availability doesn’t mean that Knives Out will continue beyond a trilogy. What is most important to Johnson is a good story and a new challenge, so as long as he has a fresh idea for a script, he would probably continue making more Knives Out films. That said, whether Knives Out 4 would happen or not is something viewers will only know in due course, but in the meantime, they can cherish the entertaining, star-studded mystery Johnson has crafted for Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery once the movie hits Netflix in December.