Following the blockbuster space-opera excess of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, writer-director Rian Johnson has come down to earth with a blackly comic murder mystery in the classic "whodunit" style. Empire gathers all the suspects in the drawing room to tell you everything you need to know about Knives Out.
What is Knives Out?
Knives Out is a tongue-in-cheek murder mystery crime thriller. Its plot involves wealthy crime novelist Harlan Thombrey inviting his extended dysfunctional family to his mansion on his 85th birthday, apparently in the hope of restoring some burned bridges. But during the party, wouldn't you know it, Harlan is found dead, and the ensuing investigation attracts the attention of the great detective Benoit Blanc. As it goes in these things, everyone in the family is a suspect...
Who directed Knives Out?
Rian Johnson is the writer and director of Knives Out. His previous films include Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Looper and The Brothers Bloom. But Knives Out perhaps – superficially – has most in common with his first feature, 2005's Brick. That film was also an off-kilter take on the crime genre, although in that case specifically riffing on Raymond Chandler-type noir rather than English country house "cosy crime".
“Knives Out was my attempt to take everything I love about an Agatha Christie whodunit, jam it into an all-star cast, give it a Hitchcock-thriller genre twist and set it in modern-day America,” Johnson explained on stage at 2019's CinemaCon.
Who stars in Knives Out?
Daniel Craig is Benoit Blanc, the detective who suspects foul play and has eliminated no suspects. Judging by his name and Craig's accent in the trailer, he's Cajun, or at least hails from somewhere in America's Deep South. Craig was able to slot the film into his schedule thanks to the delay caused by Danny Boyle's exit from Bond 25. "I have been a huge fan and always wanted to work with him," Johnson told Deadline. "He’s an actor of extraordinary range. As I worked on the script, trying to get it right, I was wringing my hands over who could be the detective. Then, serendipitously, we heard Daniel might have a small window, and it worked out."
Lakeith Stanfield is Detective Troy Archer, the cop on the case. Noah Segan is his backup, Trooper Wagner.
Ana de Armas is Marta.
Christopher Plummer is Harlan Thrombrey, the crime author and Thrombrey patriarch whose murder sparks the mystery. Surely his occupation can't be a coincidence...
Then we have the rest of the extended Thrombrey clan:
Chris Evans is Ransom Thrombrey.
Jamie Lee Curtis is Linda Thrombrey.
Toni Collette is Joni Thrombrey.
Don Johnson is Morris Thrombrey.
Michael Shannon is Walt Thrombrey.
Katherine Langford is Meg Thrombrey.
Jaeden Martell is Jacob Thrombrey.
Riki Lindhome as Donna Thrombrey
And as if that lot weren't enough, other roles are played by Frank Oz, M. Emmet Walsh, Raúl Castillo, Edi Patterson and K. Calla.
When is Knives Out released?
We’ll find out who the murderer is when Knives Out hits UK cinemas on 29 November 2019.
Trailer
Poster
