The third installment in Rian Johnson’s celebrated Knives Out series, Wake Up Dead Man, has landed on Netflix with a flourish, drawing both popular and critical attention for its intricate plot, star-studded cast, and, perhaps most surprisingly, its nuanced portrayal of faith and storytelling. Released in early December 2025, the film once again features Daniel Craig’s Southern sleuth Benoit Blanc, this time unraveling the mysterious murder of a controversial priest in upstate New York—a role that’s already being hailed as a career highlight for rising star Josh O’Connor.
Yet, beyond its clever twists and signature wit, Wake Up Dead Man is making headlines for a unique behind-the-scenes detail: part of the film was shot on the very same set as Rick Astley’s iconic 1987 music video for “Never Gonna Give You Up.” According to NME, an eagle-eyed viewer spotted the floral window design in the film and, on December 29, 2025, flagged the resemblance on social media. Director Rian Johnson himself confirmed the connection the next day, responding, “This is true and I was the only one on set excited about it (and playing the song on my phone to blank stares).”
But the film’s visual Easter eggs are just the start. Wake Up Dead Man boasts an ensemble cast that reads like a who’s who of Hollywood: alongside O’Connor and Craig, viewers are treated to performances from Glenn Close, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church. Each character is a potential suspect, and each brings their own quirks and secrets to the table, making for an absorbing, sometimes absurd, whodunit.
What sets this Knives Out chapter apart, though, is its willingness to grapple with weighty themes—none more so than the role of faith, doubt, and redemption. At the heart of the film is Father Jud Duplenticy, played with remarkable depth by Josh O’Connor. As reported by OSV News, Father Jud is a young Catholic priest whose pastoral instincts are as strong as his personal struggles. In a moment that many reviewers have identified as the film’s moral core, Father Jud sets aside his own urgent needs to minister to a stranger in crisis—a gesture that, as OSV News puts it, “every priest I know would do if, say, asked in an airport to hear an impromptu confession or while driving past a bad accident: He stops.”
This quiet heroism is intentionally contrasted with the film’s murder victim, an older priest known for his fire-and-brimstone sermons and public condemnations. The juxtaposition is clear: Johnson wants viewers to see the difference between a faith rooted in compassion and one wielded as a cudgel. The effect is not lost on Benoit Blanc, whose own skepticism becomes a foil for Father Jud’s steadfast belief.
One of the film’s most memorable scenes unfolds in a church, where Blanc and Father Jud debate the nature of Christianity and storytelling. Blanc, ever the rationalist, admits to being moved by the grandeur and mystery of the church but remains unconvinced, describing Christianity as “built upon the empty promise of a child’s fairy tale, filled with malevolence and misogyny and homophobia and its justified untold acts of violence and cruelty while all the while, and still, hiding its own shameful acts. So like an ornery mule kicking back, I want to pick it apart and pop its perfidious bubble of belief and get to a truth I can swallow without choking.”
Father Jud’s response, delivered with a mix of humility and conviction, is a highlight: “You’re right. It’s storytelling. The rites and rituals and costumes, all of it. I guess the question is, do these stories convince us of a lie? Or do they resonate with something deep inside us that’s profoundly true? That we can’t express any other way except storytelling?” This exchange, as OSV News notes, wins Blanc’s respect and sets the tone for the rest of their investigation.
In crafting this narrative, Johnson reportedly consulted with a Catholic priest to ensure authenticity, though some liberties were taken—especially in the depiction of confession. According to OSV News, the film’s early confession scenes are played for satire, poking fun at characters who treat the sacrament as a sham. But as the story progresses, a sincere confession scene near the conclusion stands out for its grace and reverence, offering a glimpse of spiritual truth amid the film’s otherwise exaggerated world.
Satire and caricature are, of course, Johnson’s bread and butter. The film lampoons not only religious figures but also social media personalities and conservative culture warriors. There’s a wannabe GOP influencer who livestreams every interaction and a reclusive novelist who, in a fit of paranoia, digs a literal moat around his cabin. As OSV News observes, “many Catholics who identify as conservative will likely find ‘Wake Up Dead Man’ hard to swallow.” Yet, the film’s willingness to poke fun at all sides is part of its charm—and its point.
Despite its satirical edge, Wake Up Dead Man never loses sight of the deeper questions at play. As reviewer Liz Hansen writes for OSV News, “Johnson builds up a world of ridiculous characters and conceits (including Benoit Blanc himself) so that in the moment of truth, hyperbole can fall away and leave us simply with what is real.” In the end, it is the enduring truth of Christianity—its message of grace and redemption—that emerges, even as the film acknowledges the institution’s flaws and scandals.
The critical reception has been largely positive. NME awarded the film four stars, calling it “impossible not to be amused by Craig doing a Scooby Doo impression (no, really) or Scott’s author beset by fans who all look like John Goodman in The Big Lebowski.” The review also singles out O’Connor’s performance as “absolutely terrific,” and notes that, despite its 140-minute runtime, the film is “a perfect fireside companion” for winter. Wake Up Dead Man also secured the number 16 spot on NME’s list of the 50 best films of 2025—a testament to its impact in a crowded cinematic year.
For his part, Johnson has hinted that he’s not done with the Knives Out universe just yet, expressing a desire to return for more mysteries in the future. Given the franchise’s knack for blending sharp social commentary, memorable characters, and genuine heart, audiences will no doubt be eager to see where Benoit Blanc’s next case takes him.
In the meantime, Wake Up Dead Man stands as a testament to the power of storytelling—both as a means of entertainment and as a way of grappling with life’s most profound questions. Whether you come for the murder mystery, the sly humor, or the unexpected theological depth, this is one film that delivers more than its fair share of surprises.
