The cast of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery was full of energy on set, according to star Josh Brolin.
The cast joined director Rian Johnson on stage for a Q&A at the film’s world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. They talked about making the third film in the Knives Out series, with each actor praising the strong bond among the stars.
Well, when I got the phone call, it was like something out of heaven. I never thought of myself in one of the Knives Out movies, and I was so thrilled to be included. To hear about everyone else who was in it. We just became this wonderful ensemble company. And we kept each other company through the whole shoot. We were always in our tent laughing, sleeping, reading, getting to know each other. It’s one of the great gifts to have such an intense experience with people who you know will be your dear friends for the rest of your life.
said Oscar-nominated actress Glenn Close, whose performance is already getting early Oscar buzz, Close added
Brolin joked that the on-set chemistry was so strong that “it was an orgy.” He paused as the audience laughed and then said, “Thank you!”
Mila Kunis laughed and turned to Brolin saying, “Oh my God. Really, Josh?” She shared that she was so eager to join the cast that “I think I put myself in this movie” instead of being asked by Johnson.
I met with Rian, and he didn’t offer me anything, and I instead offered up myself to be in the movie. He goes, ‘I think you should read the script.’ I go, ‘Nope, I don’t need to.’ This has been a dream. An absolute dream to work with everybody, and one of the greatest productions I’ve ever been on and probably will ever be on. So, thank you, Rian. We literally didn’t resort or default to the loneliness that one usually experiences on a set, you know, with whatever entourage they choose to bring. This was all us and just us in one [tent] all the time, by choice.
she said, Added Kunis, Brolin repeated the same feeling during an Entertainment Weekly interview at TIFF, saying they spent a lot of time together.
Costar Kerry Washington admitted that the bonding sometimes caused a little trouble.
You know what’s funny when I think back it’s like we have this incredible group of phenomenally talented actors, and the most fun days were the days when we were all in a scene together, but they were also the days that we were the least professional because those were the days where we were cracking each other up, making each other break character. So it was really fun to also like come together as a highly skilled group of artists and artisans, but then when we’re all together, just be like kids in a playground.
the Scandal star says
Wake Up Dead Man is the third movie in Johnson’s mystery series with Daniel Craig as Det. Benoit Blanc, after 2019’s Knives Out and 2022’s Glass Onion.
This time, Blanc is in a small town in upstate New York dealing with a murder. The case involves local police, priests, and a church.
The main set kind of at the heart of the movie was this incredible interior of church. So you’re going to church.
Close recalls
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery comes to Netflix on Nov. 26.
Source: EW