Knives Out

Knives Out is a 2019 American mystery film written and directed by Rian Johnson and produced by Johnson and Ram Bergman. It follows a master detective investigating the death of the patriarch of a wealthy, dysfunctional family. The film features an ensemble cast including Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Lakeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford, Jaeden Martell, and Christopher Plummer.

Johnson came up with the basic concept for Knives Out in 2005 and decided to make the film after finishing Looper in 2012. However, due to his involvement in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, he was not able to write the screenplay until 2017. The film was announced the year after, and it was sold to distributors during the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival. Filming was completed in three months from October to December 2018.

Knives Out had its world premiere at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2019, and it was theatrically released in the United States on November 27 by Lionsgate Films. The film received critical acclaim, particularly for its screenplay, direction, and acting, and it grossed $311.4 million worldwide against a $40 million budget. At the 77th Golden Globe Awards, it received three nominations in the Musical or Comedy category while also receiving Best Original Screenplay nominations at the 73rd British Academy Film Awards and 92nd Academy Awards. It was selected by the American Film Institute and the National Board of Review as one of the top ten films of 2019.

In March 2021, it was reported that Netflix had agreed to pay $469 million for the rights to two sequels to be written and directed by Johnson, with Craig reprising his role as detective Benoit Blanc. Filming for Knives Out 2 began in June 2021.