Upcoming Murder Mystery Movie Unexpectedly Rivals Knives Out 3's Impressive Cast (2024)

Now that the cast of Knives Out 3 has started to come together, it is clear that another, very unexpected, upcoming murder mystery movie may have an equally impressive lineup. The Knives Out franchise is famous for two things. Firstly, director Rian Johnson’s subversive whodunits are famed for playing with the familiar tropes of the genre, twisting the elements that viewers love in ingenious ways. Secondly, the series is famous for its starry ensemble casts, and the first names revealed to be joining the upcoming Knives Out 3 cast prove this sequel will be no different.

Knives Out boasted Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Toni Collette, LaKeith Stanfield, and Christopher Plummer alongside Daniel Craig. Not to be outdone, the Knives Out 2 cast included Edward Norton, Dave Bautista, Kathryn Hahn, Janelle Monáe, Kate Hudson, and Leslie Odom Jr. While Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery will also assemble an impressive cast, the sequel is surprisingly rivaled by another, lesser-known murder mystery movie. An adaptation of author Richard Osman’s hit novel from 2020 competes with Johnson's latest Benoit Blanc adventure when it comes to mega-stars.

The Thursday Murder Club's Cast Rivals Knives Out 3's Current Ensemble

Helen Mirren, Ben Kingsley, Celia Imrie, And Pierce Brosnan Star In The Richard Osman Adaptation

Netflix's upcoming murder mystery comedy The Thursday Murder Club will follow the novel’s story of a group of friends in a retirement home who pass the time by solving unexplained deaths. When they find themselves caught up in a real murder investigation, the group must put their skills to a life-or-death test. The Thursday Murder Club's Knives Out similarities mean that the adaptation could rival Johnson's comedic mystery trilogy, and the movie's cast makes it clear that director Chris Columbus will not be short on star power. Pierce Brosnan, Helen Mirren, Ben Kingsley, and Celia Imrie will play The Thursday Murder Club's heroes.

The Thursday Murder Club's cast is impressive, but even more striking when compared to the cast of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. Knives Out 3 has cast Andrew Scott, Kerry Washington, Josh O’Connor, Cailee Spaeny, Glenn Close, Mila Kunis, and Jeremy Renner, meaning the sequel does boast a star-studded lineup. However, in comparison with the preceding movies and The Thursday Murder Club, this cast list isn’t quite as stacked with megawatt star power. Spaeny and O’Connor recently headlined Civil War and Challengers respectively, but both are still emerging stars rather than cinema legends like Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren.

Knives Out 3 Will Likely Add More Major Cast Members

Knives Out 3's Cast Could Get Bigger, Unlike The Thursday Murder Club's Lineup

Thursday Murder Club's cast is even more striking when taking into account the movie's profile compared to Knives Out. Now on its third installment, Knives Out is both a major IP and an A-list magnet. Big stars want to appear in Benoit Blanc's next caper, and those jam-packed ensembles have become part of the fun. Thursday Murder Club may be based on a best-selling book, but it remains an entirely new, non-established movie franchise set in a quaint English retirement home. The fact that Thursday Murder Club's cast can go actor-to-actor with Knives Out 3 is an unexpected, albeit welcome, surprise.

With that said, Knives Out 3's casting can still leave The Thursday Murder Club in the dust due to the potential size of its ever-expanding roster. Since adding Celia Imrie, the adaptation has cast all its lead roles. Knives Out 3, on the other hand, still has plenty of room - and the budget - to announce even more major stars as production commences.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (2025)

Mystery

Director

Rian Johnson

Studio(s)

T-Street Productions

Writers

Rian Johnson

Cast

Daniel Craig , Kerry Washington , Josh O'Connor , Cailee Spaeny , Andrew Scott

Franchise(s)

Knives Out