Wake Up Dead Manis the latest movie in theKnives Outseries, and the director of the franchise has just revealed how the upcoming film is different from the previous one,Glass Onion. WhileKnives Outwas universally beloved,Glass Onionwas a lot more divisive, causing many fans to wonder how the franchise would approach the next entry,Wake Up Dead Man.
Knives Outtrilogy director Rian Johnson has discussedWake Up Dead Manfollowing the release of its teaser trailer, with him saying that the film is “incredibly different from Glass Onion” (viaRolling Stone). Johnson explains that the upcoming sequel is “much more a Gothic” and that the tone is “much more grounded.”
When discussing the film, Johnson has explained thatWake Up Dead Manis far more similar toKnives Outthan it is toGlass Onion. This is because “It kind of gets back to the real origins of the genre,” with Johnson comparing the story to the works of Agatha Christie and Edgar Allen Poe.
It Continues The Best Aspect Of Murder Mysteries
Wake Up Dead Man’s tonal shift is clearly meant to mimic one of the best parts of the murder mystery genre that inspired theKnives Outseries, that being its anthology nature.Johnson clearly wants everyKnives Outmovie to have a different tone, locations, and story, and the juxtaposition between the second and third films makes that abundantly clear.
This tone shift can already be seen in theWake Up Dead Manteaser trailer. The film looks far more serious thanGlass Onion, with it featuring weighty conversations about religion and death. The darker color palette, choice of music, and even the location reflect this as well, moving away from the comedic tone of its predecessor.
Will The Switch Divide Audiences?
The tone switch fromGlass OniontoWake Up Dead Manis one of the most exciting parts of the upcoming film, as it hints that Benoit Blanc will be taking on a more serious mystery. This means that the film will most likely take inspiration from some of Christie’s darker stories, while also leaning into the horror aspects of Poe’s work.
However, this tone shift could prove to be divisive.Glass Onionis a comedy,but it isn’t much more comedic thanKnives Out.Wake Up Dead Man, however, is a far cry from the first two films according to its first teaser trailer. This may alienate some audience members who aren’t wild about how tonally differentWake Up Dead Manis.
