Knives Out 3 star praises “rare director” Rian Johnson as she teases the Daniel Craig-led sequel

Knives Out 3 may have only just started filming, but star Cailee Spaeny is full of praise for writer-director Rian Johnson. 

Exclusively in the new subscriber issue of Total Film, which features Alien: Romulus on the cover, the actor, whose recent works include Priscilla and Civil War, describes Johnson as a “rare breed” of filmmaker. She specifically champions his “old-school” approach on set, as she admits she’s “terrified” to share scenes with the likes of Daniel Craig and Glenn Close.

“Rian is a very rare breed. You just don’t get filmmakers like him any more,” Spaeny tells us. “The intelligence… the equal parts intelligence, and saying something, and also pure entertainment, and a director who really feels old-school in the way they speak the language of a director. 

“Everything in him, he’s just made to do this. We’re already in prep, and it’s all happening. And I just went over there today. Everyone seems in good spirits. I haven’t met the rest of the cast but I’m terrified and also ecstatic to work with this group of people, because it’s top notch. It’s the crème de la crème of acting. So I feel very honored to be part of it, and I hope that I do a good job!”

Pre-order the Alien: Romulus issue of Total Film

Knives Out 3, or Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery as it’s officially titled, will see Craig reprise the role of Southern-accented sleuth Benoit Blanc, as he sets about solving yet another homicidal crime. Little is known about the setting of the follow-up as it stands, but we do know that Blanc will be sporting a longer hair ‘do in this one… so that’s something at least…

Other cast members include Jeremy Renner, Mila Kunis, Andrew Scott, Josh O’Connor, Kerry Washington, Daryl McCormack, Thomas Haden Church, and Josh Brolin.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery will come out sometime in 2025. While you won’t be able to read much more about it in the new issue of Total Film, which hits shelves and digital newsstands on Thursday, July 19, you can catch up with a bunch of other more immediate releases.

Check out the covers below:

(Image credit: 20th Century Studios/Disney)

Pre-order the issue here to bag your copy, or click here to subscribe to Total Film and never miss another exclusive. You’ll get every issue before it’s in stores, and you’ll get subscriber-exclusive covers. 

(Image credit: Total Film/20th Century Studios/Disney/Marvel Studios/Warner Bros/Prime Video/Universal)