Wake Up Dead Man brings Benoit Blanc back—and fans say it’s the best Knives Out yet

Three years after the last film, Rian Johnson’s whodunnit franchise has returned with Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, and the early buzz is loud. Viewers have been flooding social media with the same verdict: this installment feels like the strongest entry so far.

That enthusiasm shows up in the scores as well, with a high audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a solid mark on IMDb. A lot of the praise is aimed at how confidently the movie balances sharp humor with a darker, more emotional mood.

Daniel Craig slips back into Benoit Blanc’s southern drawl, but this time the case is described as more personal than ever for the detective. The story drops him into a small church community in upstate New York, where a death occurs under circumstances that seem to defy common sense.

The mystery centers around a young, earnest priest named Father Jud, played by Josh O’Connor. He’s been assigned to help Monsignor Wicks (Josh Brolin) after trouble at the parish, and their clashing views quickly turn the atmosphere tense.

When Wicks is found dead during a Good Friday service, suspicion lands hard on Jud. Local police chief Geraldine Scott calls in Blanc, only to find that even the world’s most celebrated sleuth can’t immediately crack what looks like an impossible crime.

Alongside Craig, O’Connor, and Brolin, the ensemble includes Glenn Close, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church. It’s a stacked cast, and reactions suggest the performances are a big part of why the film is clicking.

Critics have also been largely onboard, with Rotten Tomatoes reflecting strong overall approval. Reviews have singled out O’Connor’s standout work, the script’s ambition, and Johnson’s knack for making the genre feel fresh without losing the fun.

If you’ve already watched Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, tell us whether you agree it’s the best Benoit Blanc case yet—share your thoughts in the comments.