If there’s one thing Rian Johnson has shown us these past few years, it’s that the whodunit isn’t defunct but it simply needed a new wardrobe. The Knives Out series has blossomed from a sleeper success into a cultural juggernaut, the quintessential cinematic comfort food for a generation exhausted by CGI superheroes. But now as we’re about to do the third, Wake Up Dead Man (in late 2025), the conversation is already shifting to the future. And that future has a name: Meryl Streep.
The “White Whale” of Murder Mysteries
Rian Johnson tends to keep things close to the vest. He is notoriously not in possession of “wish lists” of actors, instead allowing the script to determine the casting. However, he has just broken his own rule in an interview with IndieWire, revealing that Meryl Streep for a future mystery is the one and only person he wants.
“I feel like you’d slot into a murder mystery very well,”
–Johnson said
Addressing the screen legend, It’s a match made in cinematic heaven. The Knives Out world is very much about tone, a sort of heightened reality where camp has real emotion. Streep is the unchallenged sovereign of this discrepancy. From the grotesque comedy of Death Becomes Her to the icy satire of The Devil Wears Prada, she can portray a matriarchal antagonist or a flustered intellectual counterpoint to Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc.
The campaign to get her is already in-house. Kerry Washington, star of the soon to Wake Up Dead Man, has gone public with her intention to “encourage” her former co-star to come aboard. In Hollywood, that sort of peer-to-peer validation is often what seals the deal.
The Magic of the Revolving Door
Part of the brilliance of the Knives Out approach is its ”revolving door” policy. Except for the immaculately clad Benoit Blanc, no one makes it to the sequel. This “literary hex” format eliminates the “Cabot Cove Syndrome” (“where murder just keeps following one person around”) and keeps the storyline fresh.
According to Variety, This setup has come to serve as the franchise’s secret weapon in recruiting. It’s easy to see Streep, one of the finest actresses of her generation, expressing hesitation about signing a six-movie deal for a Marvel franchise, but a “one-and-done” invitation to play a quirky suspect in a glamorous location? That’s an easy yes. It gives Johnson the ability to book “Avengers-level” casts in what are basically mid-budget conversations in rooms.
“Daniel and I make these films as partners. The moment either of us feels even a little unsure, we’ll stop.
—Johnson said.
Wake Up Dead Man and Beyond
We have the 2025 release to work through before any Streep dreams. Wake Up Dead Man will move the satirical focus from the tech disruptors of Glass Onion to religious organizations. With a cast that includes Josh Brolin, Andrew Scott, and the legendary Glenn Close, the film appears to be trying out working with Hollywood royalty—perhaps a dry run for the “Streep Proposition.”
But the most intriguing twist may emerge behind the scenes. The massive $450 million four-picture deal Johnson inked with Netflix officially ends with this third film. This makes Knives Out 4 a “free agent.”
Johnson has spoken openly about his preference for the theatrical experience, and with the rights possibly coming available, we may get a huge bidding war among streamers and traditional studios. This grants Johnson and Daniel Craig extraordinary leverage. If they want to get Meryl Streep to the movie, not just the television movie, they can insist on a full theatrical run as a prerequisite for the next film.
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The Last Adult Blockbuster
Asking for Meryl Streep in Knives Out now means the game is no longer a hit series, it’s trying to become a cinematic institution. In the age when franchise and reboots rule the roost, this franchise is the last holdout of the “adult blockbuster”—films that are propelled by dialogue, character and wit rather than explosions.
“When it’s all said and done, you make the movie and you just can’t see anybody else playing that role.”
—Johnson said.
Conclusion
Rian Johnson’s vision of Knives Out is constantly changing and deepening, and with the chance of Meryl Streep joining Daniel Craig in another film round, the franchise is moving closer to become a trip-holiday cinematic tradition. The stage is set for bigger names, bigger bids and an even grander reinvention of the modern whodunit with Wake Up Dead Man coming in 2025 and the fourth film currently in “free agent” limbo. If Streep makes her way into this world, it wouldn’t just be casting — it’d be history.
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