Following the success of the first film, Knives Out writer and director Rian Johnson is “absolutely” flirting with the idea of doing a sequel — but it would look very different.
“We had such a good time. I would hope they all would love it but the thing is, and I’ve had to painfully tell each one of them this, I think Daniel Craig would be the only one who would be [involved],” he shared with Us Weekly exclusively at the Beyond Words celebration presented by Writers Guild of America West and Writers Guild Foundation on Thursday, January 23.
The whodunit film follows a family whose life is turned upside down when the patriarch (Christopher Plummer) suddenly dies and a master detective (Craig) begins to investigate. The all-star cast includes Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Lakeith Stanfield and Katherine Langford.
However, what Johnson, 46, is thinking of is “not really a sequel” to that story.
“It’s like what Agatha Christie did with her books. It would be another Benoit Blanc mystery,” the Star Wars: The Last Jedi writer said. “And that’s what’s kind of fun about it to me: A whole new cast, whole new location, whole new mystery. And it could be a totally different kind of thing!”
Johnson, who will be a bit busy working on more Star Wars films in the near future, knows that doing another Knives Out-type film would be a “blast” and he can’t help but dream about it.
“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t already like thinking of [actor and actress] wish lists. I haven’t even written the script yet so I can’t even say [who],” he told Us. “Even when I’m writing, I try and not get too attached to anybody in my head, because even if they’re, like, friends, nine times out of 10, there will be a schedule thing and they won’t be able to do it. You can’t get your heart broken!”
Knives Out was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for best musical or comedy and earned Johnson an Oscar nomination for best original screenplay.
With reporting by Taylor Ferber
