Film · in order
Knives Out Movies in Order
There are three Knives Out movies: Knives Out (2019), Glass Onion (2022) and Wake Up Dead Man (2025). Each is a standalone Benoit Blanc mystery, so nothing spoils anything, but release order tracks the detective's arc best.
≈ 6h 53m to watch all 3 films a single day
Knives Out Movies in Order: complete list
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Why this order?
Rian Johnson builds these whodunits so you can start anywhere: each film hands detective Benoit Blanc a fresh corpse, a fresh ensemble and a completely self-contained mystery. Nothing in Glass Onion spoils Knives Out, and Wake Up Dead Man opens cold on a new case with a new cast. If a premise grabs you, you can genuinely jump straight in.
So why recommend release order anyway? Because Blanc is the one thread running through all three, and his arc only reads in sequence. In Knives Out (2019) he is the courtly Southern gentleman detective, hired anonymously to pick apart the Thrombey family after their patriarch's death. Glass Onion (2022) sends a pandemic-era, celebrity Blanc to a billionaire's Greek island, and the satire gets broader and brighter to match. Wake Up Dead Man (2025) then swings the other way: a darker, more gothic case about a priest's impossible murder, and the most haunted version of Blanc so far. Watched in release order, the tonal swings feel deliberate rather than random, and the handful of small callbacks land as intended.
There is no chronological question to solve: the films take place in the order they were released, and no timeline trickery connects them. Ignore anyone selling a complicated viewing map for this one. Watch 2019, then 2022, then 2025, or start with whichever mystery sounds best; Blanc will catch you up either way.
Timeline 2019-2025
Every entry by release year: rows that share a year are a cluster, and the long droughts are called out on the rail.
- 2019 Knives Out
- 2022 Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
- 2025 Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Where to play it today
- Knives Out (2019) is a Lionsgate release that rotates between streaming services and rental platforms
- Glass Onion and Wake Up Dead Man are Netflix originals (Wake Up Dead Man streaming from December 12, 2025 after a limited theatrical run)
- Check JustWatch for current availability in your region
Availability changes often and varies by region - links search each platform for Knives Out.
Frequently asked questions
How many Knives Out movies are there?
Three: Knives Out (2019), Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) and Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (2025). All are written and directed by Rian Johnson, with Daniel Craig as detective Benoit Blanc.
What order should I watch the Knives Out movies in?
Release order: Knives Out (2019), then Glass Onion (2022), then Wake Up Dead Man (2025). Each mystery is standalone, but Blanc's character arc and the films' tonal progression read best in sequence.
Do I need to watch them in order?
No. Each film is a self-contained mystery with a new cast and setting, and nothing in a later film spoils an earlier one. Benoit Blanc is the only recurring character. Release order is the recommendation, not a requirement.
Is Benoit Blanc in all three movies?
Yes. Daniel Craig's Benoit Blanc is the thread connecting the series; everyone else changes from film to film.
Will there be a Knives Out 4?
Nothing has been announced. Netflix's original deal covered two sequels, which Wake Up Dead Man completes, and Rian Johnson has said he would like to keep making Blanc mysteries, but a fourth film is not confirmed.
Why does each film feel so different?
By design. Johnson treats the series as an anthology in the classic Agatha Christie mold: same detective, new world every time. Knives Out is a New England family whodunit, Glass Onion a sun-drenched tech satire, and Wake Up Dead Man a gothic mystery about faith.
Last verified · Sources: en.wikipedia.org, Wikidata
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