Fans of Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc character can now enjoy an extended theatrical release of Wake Up Dead Man, opening for two weeks starting November 26. This marks a significant improvement from the seven-day run Netflix gave its predecessor, Glass Onion, which was shown in only 600 theaters. The increased window offers audiences more time to watch the film on the big screen before it streams on Netflix from December 12.
Theater Window Remains Limited but Outsized in Netflix Context
Though a 14-day run pales in comparison to traditional theatrical releases, it represents progress for a streamer known for brief cinema engagements. Netflix’s recent past includes short theatrical showings like the weekend sing-along for KPop Demon Hunters and a two-week IMAX release planned for Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Narnia. Despite these concessions, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos has made clear that the company’s core strategy remains focused on exclusive first releases on the streaming platform, dismissing theatrical venues as outdated.
“No change at all to our theatrical strategy,”
Sarandos told Deadline after revealing the Narnia release plan.
“Our core strategy is to give our members exclusive first round movies on Netflix.”
Creative Clashes Highlight Streaming vs. Theatrical Debate
Netflix’s streaming-first mindset has sparked tension with filmmakers and stars who value traditional movie theaters. At the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival, Daniel Craig reportedly exchanged sharp words with Ted Sarandos after the premiere of Glass Onion, expressing frustration with Netflix’s model.
A variation on ‘Your model is fucked.’
— Daniel Craig, actor
Craig has publicly voiced his desire for a longer theatrical run for the new Benoit Blanc mystery.
“Hopefully, Netflix will push it out a bit, and people will get to see it,”
he said last year.
“The people I speak to—the fans, I suppose—all they want to do is take their families and go see it at the cinemas. That’s all they want to do. Hopefully we can give them that experience.”
Rian Johnson, the Academy Award-nominated writer and director behind Wake Up Dead Man, has echoed this sentiment. He emphasized the importance of a theatrical presence, saying,
“We’re going to push for everything we can get in terms of theatrical, because I want as many people as possible to see it in that form.”
Plot and Cast Details Reveal Darker Chapter in the Knives Out Saga
Wake Up Dead Man follows Daniel Craig’s detective, Benoit Blanc, in what is described as the third and darkest installment of Rian Johnson’s murder mystery series. The film explores a troubled congregation headed by the charismatic Monsignor Jefferson Wicks, played by Josh Brolin, and involves a mysterious murder that challenges logical explanation.
The story begins when a young priest, Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor), arrives to assist Wicks but quickly senses turmoil within the community. The townspeople surrounding them are a cast of intriguing characters, including Martha Delacroix (Glenn Close), Nixon groundskeeper Samson Holt (Thomas Haden Church), lawyer Vera Draven (Kerry Washington), aspiring politician Cy Draven (Daryl McCormack), doctor Nat Sharp (Jeremy Renner), author Lee Ross (Andrew Scott), and cellist Simone Vivane (Cailee Spaeny).
When an unexpected killing shakes the town, local police chief Geraldine Scott (Mila Kunis) teams up with Benoit Blanc to uncover the truth behind a baffling murder mystery.
Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) returns for his most dangerous case yet in the third and darkest chapter of Rian Johnson’s murder mystery opus. When young priest Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor) is sent to assist charismatic firebrand Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin), it’s clear that all is not well in the pews. Wicks’s modest-but-devoted flock includes devout church lady Martha Delacroix (Glenn Close), circumspect groundskeeper Samson Holt (Thomas Haden Church), tightly-wound lawyer Vera Draven, Esq. (Kerry Washington), aspiring politician Cy Draven (Daryl McCormack), town doctor Nat Sharp (Jeremy Renner), best-selling author Lee Ross (Andrew Scott), and concert cellist Simone Vivane (Cailee Spaeny). After a sudden and seemingly impossible murder rocks the town, the lack of an obvious suspect prompts local police chief Geraldine Scott (Mila Kunis) to join forces with renowned detective Benoit Blanc to unravel a mystery that defies all logic. Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Rian Johnson writes and directs Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, and assembles another all-star, award-winning cast.
— Official synopsis
What This Means for Fans and the Industry
While Netflix’s model remains focused on streaming exclusives, the extended theatrical release of Wake Up Dead Man signals some recognition of the audience’s appetite for cinema stories seen on a big screen. Fans eager to experience Benoit Blanc’s latest adventure in theaters can plan to attend the limited two-week engagement before its digital debut.
However, the ongoing debate between traditional theatrical exhibition and streaming premieres continues to create restless and uncertain dynamics among creators, stars, and distributors. This release window might encourage other high-profile Netflix films to seek more substantial theatrical play, but the dominance of streaming-first strategies suggests the industry’s tension remains far from resolved.
With Wake Up Dead Man set to premiere internationally at TIFF before its theatrical and streaming debuts, audiences will soon discover if this darker, Southern Gothic mystery lives up to the promise of its star-studded cast and director’s vision.
