Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Movie, 2025, Benoit Blanc, Set in A small-town church
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is #3 of 3 in release order and #3 of 3 in chronological order in the Knives Out.
The story
When young priest Jud Duplenticy is sent to assist charismatic firebrand Monsignor Jefferson Wicks, it’s clear that all is not well in the pews. After a sudden and seemingly impossible murder rocks the town, the lack of an obvious suspect prompts local police chief Geraldine Scott to join forces with renowned detective Benoit Blanc to unravel a mystery that defies all logic.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery recap
Jud Duplenticy, a former boxer turned young priest, is sent to Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude, a small parish in upstate New York run by the fiery Monsignor Jefferson Wicks, who has driven away all but a loyal few. Jud clashes with him openly. During the Good Friday service, Wicks collapses inside a locked closet and is found dead with a blade shaped from a devil's-head finial in his back, a finial Jud had stolen a twin of. Police chief Geraldine Scott calls in Benoit Blanc, who believes Jud is innocent and recruits him as a partner. The congregation, including the church secretary Martha Delacroix, the groundskeeper Samson and the parishioner Nat Sharp, all hide secrets. Wicks' body then disappears from his tomb, and he seems to rise from the dead.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery ending explained
Blanc reveals Nat stabbed Wicks with an accomplice's help, and Martha confesses to the rest: Wicks' grandfather swallowed a priceless diamond, Eve's Apple, before killing himself, and Martha, fearing Wicks would destroy the church, plotted with Nat. Samson staged the resurrection and was killed by Nat, who then poisoned Martha's coffee; she swapped the cups, killing him, then took the poison herself. A year later, the diamond is hidden inside Jud's newly carved crucifix.
Post-credits scenes
No. There is no post-credits scene.
Where to watch Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is streaming on Netflix in the US.
Ratings
IMDb 7.3/10, Rotten Tomatoes 92%
Where it fits
- Release order: after Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, the latest.
- Chronological order: after Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, the last.
What to watch before Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
In release order, the essentials before Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (2025) are Knives Out (2019) and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022).
Cast
- Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc
- Josh O'Connor as Fr. Jud Duplenticy
- Glenn Close as Martha Delacroix
- Josh Brolin as Mons. Jefferson Wicks
- Mila Kunis as Chief Geraldine Scott
- Jeremy Renner as Dr. Nat Sharp
- Kerry Washington as Vera Draven, Esq.
- Andrew Scott as Lee Ross
- Cailee Spaeny as Simone Vivane
- Daryl McCormack as Cy Draven
- Thomas Haden Church as Samson Holt
- Jeffrey Wright as Bp. Langstrom
Directed by Rian Johnson.