Netflix Allegedly Spends $450 Million for ‘Knives Out’ Sequels
In one of the most expensive streaming deals, Netflix will spend reportedly $450 million to acquire the rights to turn Knives Out into a trilogy with Rian Johnson directing and Daniel Craig returning as detective Benoit Blanc. Produced by Media Rights Capital and distributed by Lionsgate, the 2019 murder mystery made $311.4 million and earned Johnson an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
Knives Out centered around Blanc and the police’s investigation into a recently deceased mystery author’s dysfunctional family unit. While the original film had an all-star cast including Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Lakeith Stanfield, it is unknown if any of them will return alongside Craig.
waking up to knives out having not one sequel but TWO sequels and are gonna be on netflix had me jumped
— leah (@sueannenna) April 1, 2021
Variety reports that Netflix will be spending $450 million to acquire the rights to the next two films in the series. By making Knives Out its next franchise, Netflix is paying a lot of money to secure the rights to a potentially significant IP to keep subscribers around for longer. The original film had a budget of $40 million and grossed over seven times that in revenue.
Moreover, this deal will allow Netflix to extend its lead in the streaming platform race. Serious competitors like Disney Plus, HBO Max, Apple TV, and Paramount Plus have emerged in the last two years.
KNIVES OUT 2 AND 3 IS THIS WHAT JOY FEELS LIKE
— recycle bin 🍐 (@recyclegirl77) April 1, 2021
In an interview with Variety, Johnson said he was open to returning to the Knives Out universe and that he would “be thrilled to do another one every few years.”
For Johnson, the Knives Out sequels are the first projects he is attached to directing since the film’s original premiere. However, Johnson will be writing the screenplays for the next Star Wars trilogy. Meanwhile, fans can catch Craig next in the newest James Bond film, No Time To Die, which premieres on October 8.
While Knives Out is not yet available to stream on Netflix, you can watch the film on-demand and through a subscription to Amazon Prime.
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