Knives Out: Wake Up Dead Cast and Plot Overview

Wake Up Dead (2024) expands the Benoit Blanc universe with a fresh mystery and an almost entirely new ensemble cast. This is not a direct sequel to the original Knives Out — it is a standalone mystery in the same detective-led format, proving that the franchise model works beyond the Thrombey family.

Cast

• Daniel Craig returns as Benoit Blanc, the eccentric Southern detective. He is the connective tissue across all Knives Out films.
• Edward Norton plays Miles Bron, a tech billionaire and the central figure in this mystery.
• Janelle Monáe appears as Andi Brand, involved in the central conspiracy.
• Kathryn Hahn, Jessica Henwick, and Madelyn Cline round out the cast of suspects and co-conspirators.
• Glenn Close appears in a supporting role.

Plot (No Major Spoilers)

The mystery centers on a tech billionaire's death at an exclusive island retreat. Benoit Blanc is drawn into a web of corporate intrigue, personal vendettas, and technological deception. The film plays with themes of AI, wealth inequality, and modern-day conspiracy — much more contemporary than the original's old-money family drama.

The structure mirrors the first film: a seemingly straightforward mystery that unravels into layers of deception. Rian Johnson leans harder into the absurdist comedy this time while maintaining genuine mystery elements.

Pro tip: The Knives Out films work best if you go in cold — the fun is in the reveals and misdirection. If you have not seen the original (2019), start there; Wake Up Dead works standalone, but the original is tighter and a perfect introduction to Blanc.