Having previously made splashes with movies like Brick and Looper, Rian Johnson's filmmaking career propelled to new heights when he was selected to write and direct Star Wars: The Last Jedi. The end result was met with polarizing reactions among Star Wars fans and continues to generate conversation and debate, but for Johnson, contributing to a galaxy far, far away has opened up new opportunities. Johnson was already set to oversee a new Star Wars trilogy, but before doing that, he'll team up with Daniel Craig.
In the wake of Bond 25 being delayed due to director Danny Boyle's exit and the script reportedly being rewritten, Daniel Craig has signed on to star in Knives Out, the crime movie that Rian Johnson is directing which is described as a "a modern day murder mystery in the classic whodunit style." Knives Out's script was sent out to major buyers just yesterday, and it will be among the many offerings that U.S. and foreign distributors will be bidding for at the Toronto International Film Festival later this week. Johnson and producing partner Ram Bergman will finance Knives Out through a new company they've launched, but haven't officially named yet, and filming is expected to begin in November. As he explained to Deadline, he's been interested in making an Agatha Christie-like murder mystery for many years, and when Bond 25 was put on hold, he and Bergman finally saw an opportunity to work with Craig. As Johnson put it:
I have been a huge fan and always wanted to work with him and as I worked on the script, trying to get it right, Ram and I were wringing our hands over who could be the detective. Then, serendipitously, we heard Daniel might have a small window, and it worked out. He's an actor of extraordinary range, and we are looking forward to the fun of finding that modern detective, and collaborating with Daniel on creating a new Poirot.
While Star Wars: The Last Jedi is unquestionably Rian Johnson's biggest movie to date (and could remain that way for the rest of his career), it's not shocking to see him helm a smaller-scale movie before he jumps back to the space opera franchise, especially since Johnson mentioned that he and Ram Bergman liked the idea of launching a company with a movie they own. It's also worth noting that Brick and Looper were mysteries in their own special ways, so Johnson will be returning to familiar territory with Knives Out, albeit more in the vein of Agatha Christie. It will be a while until we learn specific plot details, but it sounds like Knives Out will be a good creative endeavor for both Johnson and Daniel Craig to tackle before returning to their respective blockbuster franchises.
Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more information concerning Knives Out as it becomes available to us, but in the meantime, you can look through our 2018 release schedule to plan your trips to the theater later this year accordingly.
