Breaking a franchise is something that Hollywood hasn't done in a long while. However, Rian Johnson's Knives Out is going down the perfect path!
Breaking a franchise is something that Hollywood hasn't done in a long while. However, Rian Johnson's Knives Out is going down the perfect path!
Everything is a cinematic universe nowadays. From the connection between Barbarian and Weapons to the grandiose of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DCU, everything’s a part of something bigger, grander, and more bizarre than the stand-alone films.
Through it all, one franchise decided to do something daring. The franchise decided to take a break from its movies! Especially thanks to writer-director Rian Johnson, we will not be getting a Knives Out movie for quite a while. Hold on, it’s actually a good thing. Although the movies were quite good and the reviews of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery seem quite good, the franchise’s pause is probably the best thing that can happen to Knives Out. Here’s why:
It was as if the director knew what was going to happen if he started looking at the quantity rather than the quality (unlike Kevin Feige and the MCU). Speaking at a public event ahead of the release of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, the director revealed (via Deadline) that he would be taking a temporary break from the franchise.
I’m writing right now, [but] it’s not one of these [Knives Out] films. It’s just something completely different, an original thing. I actually feel very energized after making this one [Wake Up Dead Man], but this is three in a row. It’s probably healthy to see other people.
With that, the director announced that his relationship with the Knives Out franchise will be put on hold for a while. Rian Johnson also stated that he wouldn’t take a complete break from the franchise since he and Daniel Craig want to return to the films eventually.
In a separate interview, the director maintained his stance that although he’s taking a break from the franchise, he would like to continue making as many Knives Out movies as possible. Speaking at the BFI London Film Festival (via Variety), Johnson stated that he doesn’t feel burnt out by doing these movies.
I don’t feel burnt out doing these at all. If anything, I feel energized after doing this one. So as long as audiences want to keep seeing it, and Daniel and I are still having fun making them and still feel like we can come up with stuff that feels not just fresh, but a fresh challenge for us, I think that’ll translate to a new experience for the audience.
He ended his statement by saying, “For now, I’d be thrilled to keep making these for the rest of my life”. Now comes the real talk. We support Rian Johnson taking a break from the franchise, not because the movies are average (we love the Knives Out franchise), but because we understand the value of quality over quantity, and Rian Johnson knows it better than any of us.
Rian Johnson taking a break from the Knives Out franchise is the best thing that can ever happen. When the original 2019 film was released, it created rave reviews and love from fans around the world.
It is because the modern mystery was a fresh take on the world of detectives. From Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot to Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, we were introduced to Daniel Craig's Benoit Blanc
With the release of the second film, the reviews were mixed because the film didn't live up to the standard of the first flick. However, the early reviews and hype for Wake Up Dead Man have been nothing but great.
Naturally, Rian Johnson's brain needs to take a breather to make more murder mystery stories. Hence, the director's pause from the franchise means that Rian Johnson will do something else for a while and return to Knives Out bigger and stronger.
In a world where everything is being filmed and shot like it’s the end of days, Rian Johnson decided to take a breather and actually think before making a mindless film that could ruin the Knives Out legacy (looking at you, Eternals).
So, Johnson’s break from the franchise is actually one of the best things that can ever happen to a franchise. Although we might miss seeing Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc for a few years, we’ll be more than happy when he returns for a murder mystery that is more dangerous than the rest of the films combined.
