Writer and director Rian Johnson is once again at the helm for “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,” the third installment in a series that finds a way to evolve with each film. There is an impressive tonal distinction in each of these stories that feel like thematically intertwined alternate universes of the same reality. These are narratives with a disdain for exploitative practices in our world, as the powerful continue to feed on the vulnerable on all levels of society. Johnson makes the decision to focus on a very specific, eclectic group of individuals in each “Knives Out” film to explore this universal theme. In the case of “Wake Up Dead Man,” our attention is turned to a church community in upstate New York, led by the charismatic but undeniably toxic and abusive Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin). Pulling from his Christian upbringing, Johnson crafts a thoughtful examination of faith without pulling punches against the dogmatic practices that have polluted certain movements within the religion.
In keeping with tradition, Daniel Craig is the only returning cast member in a star-studded ensemble. Now, I won’t go so far as to say that detective Benoit Blanc will ever overtake Agent 007 as Craig’s most iconic character, but the beloved southerner may give James Bond a run for his money. Josh O’Connor plays Reverend Jud Duplenticy, a burdened Catholic priest with a checkered past, still seeking to hold onto his convictions amidst circumstances that shake his faith to its foundations. The relationship between Blanc and Duplenticy is truly the beating heart of the film, similarly to Blanc’s dynamic with Marta Cabrera (Ana de Armas) and Helen Brand (Janelle Monáe) in “Knives Out” and “Glass Onion,” respectively.
I was fortunate enough to attend the Los Angeles premiere of “Wake Up Dead Man” back in November, as well as an exclusive press conference with Rian Johnson. Speaking more to his collaboration with Daniel Craig in response to a question about the possibility of passing along the series to another director, Johnson said, “If Daniel and I ever stop having fun and we both decide or he decides he doesn’t want to do it anymore, then as far as I’m concerned, the series is over. This whole thing is just, it’s me and him making these movies together. That’s the joy of it for me. People can make other mysteries all they want, but this is something that’s for him and me. That’s what defines it for me.”
Another element that defines the series is Johnson’s partnership with his cinematographer and longtime friend, Steve Yedlin. In a film like “Wake Up Dead Man” that looks at the conflicting spiritual forces of light and darkness, of course Yedlin was going to have fun playing around with those ideas in the visual language of the picture. I had the chance to ask Johnson directly about that collaboration. You can read our exchange below.
Rian, you’ve worked with your cinematographer, Steve Yedlin, on all seven of your feature films going back to 2005. And this has taken you across multiple original stories, obviously a massive franchise, and now the Knives Out series. So what are some things within “Wake Up Dead Man,” specifically, about Steve’s work that really had a lasting impression on you?
Rian Johnson: Steve and I, you know, we’ve been best friends since we were 17. We met on a student film set. And it’s similar with Nathan Johnson, who’s my composer, who’s my cousin, who I’ve been making movies with since I was 10 years old. I feel like oftentimes — like if a director’s hiring a cinematographer or a composer, they’ll say, “okay, it’s this type of movie. I wanna find this type of DP for it.” With Steve, I feel like we can attempt anything. I don’t feel like I’m hiring him to fit in a specific slot. I feel like he’s my lifetime collaborator. And we challenge ourselves together as a team by trying to stretch with each film and seeing what we can do that we haven’t done before. With this one, the tone of it was a big defining element. The fact that we were going for gothic, it’s much more of a lighting movie than the previous two, I think. Inside the church, which was a beautiful set that Rick Heinrichs, our production designer, built — those light changes, that was the first conversation I had with Steve. I wanted the outside world to invade the inside. I wanted to feel that shift when the sun goes behind a cloud and suddenly the room changes tone for everybody. And so Steve did a ton of prep work, pre-lit the whole thing on this rig so that we could control it like playing music from his laptop. And we timed — anytime the sun breaks up behind somebody or the sun goes away, that’s all Steve controlling dozens and dozens of lights around the set. And a ton of prep went into that so that in the moment it could feel just organic. The thing that makes me most happy is when a friend asked me, “You just got really lucky when the sun came out.” [Laughs] I’m like, “Yes, that’s right, we absolutely did.”
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Each ensuing “Knives Out” Mystery feels acutely tuned to the moment, but also timeless in its staying power. “Wake Up Dead Man” is a particularly unique film – not only within the context of the series, but in the landscape of Hollywood at large. It presents a compelling argument for personal faith and spiritual belief, and a warning against the dangers of those who weaponize theological doctrine. As far as I’m concerned, Rian Johnson and Daniel Craig can keep churning these films out for the rest of their careers. I know I’ll be seated every time.
Featured Image: John Wilson/Netflix © 2025
Thomas Manning is a member of the NCFCA and SEFCA, and also the co-host of the television show and radio program Meet Me at the Movies. He also serves as Senior Interviewer for Elements of Madness. He has worked as a production assistant and voting member on the Film Selection Committee for the Real to Reel Film Festival. Additionally, he manages his own film review and interview site, The Run-Down on Movies.
Manning is a graduate of Gardner-Webb University with a double-major in Communications and English. His passion for cinema and storytelling is rivaled only by his love for the music of Taylor Swift.
When he isn’t watching or talking about movies, you can usually find Manning drinking a ridiculous amount of coffee, going on spontaneous road trips, and running dozens of miles as he searches for the meaning of life.