Rian Johnson Says He Plans to Make Knives Out More than a Trilogy

After Glass Onion, Rian Johnson has a deal with Netflix to make one more Knives Out Mystery for Netflix, and though that could sound like the end for Benoit Blanc, it seems that Johnson has more in store for his modern-day Hercule Poirot.

Talking to RadioTimes (via The Direct), Johnson reveals that he plans to have Knives Out continue on beyond a trilogy of movies. He explains:

“We have one more movie in our contract with Netflix, but I don’t see it as a trilogy. I see it as an ongoing thing. As long as Daniel [Craig] and I are having fun and coming up with something new and exciting every time, we’ll keep doing this as long as we can.”

Johnson doesn’t really share specifics on where his future Knives Out movies can go, but I think the stage is pretty much set for the Knives Out franchise.

Just by looking at the structure of both films, you’ll start to notice that Benoit Blanc as a character doesn’t really have an arc. The arcs really belong to the characters involved with the crime (e.g. Marta, Andi), and Blanc is just really there to help piece out the mystery with minimal involvement with the ‘real’ stakes.  

In a film environment so focused on ‘big’ franchises, a smaller, story-driven IP like Knives Out feels like a real refresher. You can always count for Rian Johnson to subvert expectations. I just hope he can work on his Star Wars trilogy in the middle of making these films.

Catch Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery now streaming on Netflix.