Rian Johnson reveals acting legend he would love to join the Knives Out universe

Director Rian Johnson wants Meryl Streep to step into his murder-mystery universe.

Following the premiere of the third Knives Out film, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, the filmmaker revealed his hopes for the budding franchise.

“There are so many great actors I’d like to work with,” Johnson, 51, told IndieWire. “But, yes, if you’re reading this, Meryl Streep, I feel like you’d slot into a murder mystery very well.”

He then shared his response to Streep, 76, finally appearing on Saturday Night Live after decades of requests from fans: “If Lorne can do it, then, goddamn, so can we.”

Streep has dabbled in the whodunnit genre before. The Oscar-winning actor has appeared in the last three seasons of Hulu’s murder-mystery comedy Only Murders in the Building, which wrapped up airing last month.

open image in gallery

open image in gallery

Streep did not immediately return The Independent’s request for comment on Johnson’s remarks.

While Johnson would love to work with Streep, he made it clear that casting is a specific decision for each installment.

“The reality is it’s a casting process and you’re going after movie stars who have busy schedules and you get a yes or no, but at the end of the day you make the movie and you can’t imagine anyone else in the part,” he said.

The first Knives Out movie, released in 2019, starred an ensemble cast of Christopher Plummer, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Toni Collette, LaKeith Stanfield, Chris Evans, and Ana de Armas in her breakout role.

open image in gallery

open image in gallery

Daniel Craig led the film as enigmatic detective Benoit Blanc, though Johnson recently revealed that that Craig nearly missed out on playing the beloved character because of scheduling conflicts while shooting the James Bond movies. However, the movie was an instant box office success and Johnson sold the rights to two sequels to Netflix, with sequel Glass Onion released in 2022.

Craig returned as Benoit Blanc in both of the additions to the franchise so far, with the latest coming out in select theaters November 26 before it comes home to Netflix December 12. The new movie follows Blanc investigating a murder at a local church and has received rave reviews over its dark themes, a departure from the Agatha Christie style of the first two movies.

The new movie’s cast includes Josh O’Connor as young priest Jud Duplenticy, Josh Brolin as the monsignor, and Glenn Close as a parishioner.