As the sequel Glass Onion looms closer, director Rian Johnson says that he wants Daniel Craig to star in as many Knives Out films as possible.
At the premiere for Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, the sequel to 2019's Knives Out, Johnson partook in a Q+A with the audience at the Toronto International Film Festival. When asked if he was planning further installments in the franchise, the director said, via Variety, "I'm going to keep making these until Daniel [Craig] blocks me on his phone."
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Johnson, whose previous films include Looper and Star Wars: The Last Jedi, introduced the film to the TIFF audience, promising a "good time" and a "fun whodunit." He also paid tribute to his grandfather, Howard, saying he was the reason for his career in filmmaking. Except for Dave Bautista, all cast members were in attendance, with the panel answering questions related to the on-set process and their favorite scenes.
Glass Onion is the first release in the series since Netflix purchased the rights for the franchise, with the acquisition costing the streaming giant $450 million. The film, which is the first of two planned follow-ups, sees Craig reprise his role as detective Benoit Blanc, with the plot taking place on a Greek island following the finding of a dead body. The film features a whole new cast including Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn and Leslie Odom Jr, with Craig being the only returning cast member from the first installment.
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On casting the sequel, which was formally announced in June, Johnson spoke of the need to find a group with chemistry. At the end of the day, [you're] just trying to get the best actors in each part," he said. "The actors that are most right for each individual part. So, you also just throw the dice and hold your breath. Luckily, we got a group that really meshed."
Knives Out, which was released in November 2019, proved to be a success at the box office, with the film grossing $311 million worldwide against a $40 million budget. The murder mystery, which starred Chris Evans, Ana de Armas and Jamie Lee Curtis, also garnered critical acclaim, with Johnson receiving Academy Award and BAFTA nominations for Best Original Screenplay. Craig, who was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his performance, previously stated he had forgotten the character's accent in between the two films, so he enlisted the services of a coach to relearn the famous Southern drawl.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery will open in select theaters in November, before its wide release on Netflix on December 23, 2022.
Source: TIFF via Variety