You don’t have to be Benoit Blanc to figure out that Knives Out was an immediate success in when it hit theaters in 2019. The quirky humor, sharp edits, and the powerhouse cast in this murder mystery led to critical acclaim, box office success, and awards recognition (including an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay). Benoit Blanc’s (Daniel Craig) “who killed who” investigation at the Thrombey mansion following the unprecedented death of crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) was an instant attention grabber. And now Netflix has decided to gift us with the sequel Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, which carries high hopes that it will be just as big as its predecessor.Before Knives Out received all the buzz, writer/director Rian Johnson was already eager to make other stories led by Craig’s instantly iconic detective Benoit Blanc. Gladly, Johnson was able to carry on with his vision in the upcoming film. With the sequel on the horizon, here's what we know about the highly-anticipated sequel.Here is everything we know so far about the release date, new and returning cast members, as well as the future of this potential saga.glass-onion-ed-norton-social-featuredEditor’s Note: This piece was last updated on November 21Related:Daniel Craig Goes on Vacation In New 'Glass Onion' Poster

Does Glass Onion Have a Release Date?

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery had its world premiere on September 10, 2022, at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film also screened on October 16, 2022, at the BFI London Film Festival. As to when the public will be able to see the sequel, the film will have a limited theatrical release from November 23 to November 29 in around 600 locations, including, in a first for Netflix, AMC Theatres. The film will then be released on Netflix worldwide on December 23, 2022. The Christmas weekend has previously been a heavy-hitter for Netflix with titles such as Don't Look Up, Bridgerton, The Witcher, and Bird Box topping the charts over the holidays, and Glass Onion will likely be no different.

What Is the Meaning Behind the Title Glass Onion?

Helen dressed as Andi Brand hiding behind a wall in Glass Onion.
Image via Netflix

Rian Johnson has announced that the sequel will be called Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. The name takes inspiration from the 1968 Beatles song of the same name. Of course, the title also alludes to several locations in the film, but you'll just have to see the movie yourself to find out more.

Is Glass Onion a Direct Sequel to Knives Out?

Despite the fact that many Hollywood favorites were scene stealers in Knives Out (it was so great to see Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette, and more all together in the same feature film), Rian Johnson has confirmed that the sequel will have an entirely different narrative. In an interview with SiriusXM in February of last year, the director made an analogy to author Agatha Christie when explaining that not every murder mystery happens with the same scenario. He said that he would love to explore the genre with different characters, a new location, and another dynamic.

Related:New 'Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery' Images Show Star-Studded Cast in Sun-Soaked Mystery

Who Is in the Glass Onion Cast?

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Image via Netflix

As mentioned before, most of the cast members in the first film will not return for Glass Onion. If they do make an appearance, it would be in a surprise cameo. Jamie Lee Curtis, who played the role of Linda Drysdale, even cleared the air about the Thrombey family returning to the screen with an Instagram post that alludes to them spending some time in therapy and far away from Benoit Blanc. Speaking of detective Benoit Blanc, the character is leading the cast of Glass Onion as he investigates another mystery. Netflix acquired the rights to the next franchise installment for over $450 million, and part of the deal was to keep Daniel Craig involved in the project.

Alongside the 007 alum, there will be new actors joining the cast for Glass Onion and many of them are just as stellar as the renowned ensemble in the previous film. Kate Hudson, popularly known for her role in Almost Famous, will be part of the sequel as Birdie Jay, a fashion designer. Other confirmed names are Leslie Odom Jr. as Lionel Toussaint, a scientist, Edward Norton as Miles Bron, a tech billionaire, Dave Bautista as Duke Cody, a YouTube celeb, Janelle Monae as Cassandra "Andi" Brand, a tech entrepreneur, Kathryn Hahn as Claire Debella, a governor from Connecticut running for Senate, Madelyn Cline as Whiskey, the girlfriend and assistant of Duke, and Jessica Henwick as Peg the assistant of Birdie. Ethan Hawke is also reportedly in the film in an undisclosed role after being spotted on set. Angela Lansbury and Stephen Sondheim will also make posthumous appearances in the highly anticipated sequel.

When and Where Did Glass Onion Film?

According to Rian Johnson's tweet, the Glass Onion production began on July 28 and was shot in Greece. Some of the pictures from the set that were released online were taken on the island of Spetches.

Filming in Greece wrapped in July 2021 and production officially ended in September of the same year.

Is There a Glass Onion Trailer?

Netflix released the first official trailer for Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery on September 8, 2022. The minute-and-a-half preview gives us our first real good look at the overall feel of the film but noticeably is slim on any plot details. The trailer has clips of partying, motorcycle chases, Dave Bautista in a Speedo firing a pistol, and an unusual-looking sliding puzzle. We also got a clip from the movie on September 24. Another teaser trailer came out on October 10, and it adds to the previous promo clips. Teaser #2 reveals that the characters were invited to a murder mystery party, hosted by their friend Miles Bron. According to his quote in the trailer, he will be murdered and those at the party must crack the code surrounding his suspicious death. The other shots presented in the clip hint that solving this challenge will be an eventful and instigating ride, especially for detective Blanc. After all, he even utters "this is truly delightful" once Bron explains the game to everyone seated at the dining table. Following that, viewers can spot a lot of cocktail drinks, a racing motorcycle, and a little snide mark about having a Google alert for the term "movies". Although the twists and turns are yet to be revealed, the sneak peek videos demonstrate that no one can be trusted, and no one can be saved from trouble. Check it out below:

The full trailer for Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery was released online on November 7, 2022, digging much deeper into the mystery of the film, but still remaining tight-lipped on whom the actual murder victim is, meaning that fans will have to wait until they watch the movie in theaters the week of Thanksgiving or from the comfort of their home over the Christmas holiday.

What Is the Plot of Glass Onion?

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Image via Netflix

Even after the release of the first trailer, the plot for the sequel is still mostly unknown. What we do know is that Rian Johnson mentioned “multiple murders” on the same post he shared on Twitter during day 1 on set, so that might indicate that there will be a lot happening in Glass Onion.

The official plot synopsis from Netflix reads:

Tech billionaire Miles Bron invites his friends for a getaway on his private Greek island. When someone turns up dead, Detective Benoit Blanc is put on the case.

Will There Be a Knives Out 3?

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Image via Netflix

Normally, we don’t receive the good news prior to the release of the first sequel, but Netflix is full of surprises. The $450 million contract that they signed with Rian Johnson includes both Glass Onion and Knives Out 3, for which Johnson will once again write the script and direct. Daniel Craig will also return for Knives Out 3, although the second sequel is a separate production and is not being filmed back-to-back with Glass Onion. So we’ll have a bit of a wait for the third Knives Out movie. Johnson has also hinted that the franchise might even go beyond three, stating in an interview:

"As long as the two of us are still having fun, and as long as we can continue to make these truly new experiences each time, and find new ways to challenge ourselves. The second we feel like we’re repeating ourselves, or just turning a crank on a machine, we’ll stop. Because to me, the whole conception of this whole series is the same way Agatha Christie did it with her books – we’re doing something new and surprising every time."

How Are Early Reactions to Glass Onion?

Considering how successful Knives Out was, a lot of people have been hoping to see if Glass Onion would match its predecessor. And now that we have some early reactions from critics who have seen the movie, it looks like those people are going to be more than happy. By all accounts, the movie is even better than the first one, with Collider's Ross Bonaime calling it “bigger, crazier,” and “even twistier”.

Read an Excerpt From Collider's Glass Onion Review

As we mentioned above, the reactions to Glass Onion have been phenomenal, with the movie holding a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes and an 81 on Metacritic. Ross Bonaime, reviewing the movie for Collider, gave the film an A rating. Read on for an excerpt from the review or click here to read the full article:

If Knives Out was Johnson’s way of reconfiguring the mystery film, Glass Onion is Johnson’s way of once again defying the expectations of the genre, withholding details, giving some away earlier than expected, and completely upending what the audience is believing will come next. It’s so much fun to watch Johnson in this mode, especially with a cast this relentlessly fun and playful. With Glass Onion, Johnson proves himself to be a film disruptor of the highest order.