-

With Knives Out doing sneak preview screenings around the country tonight and tomorrow night followed by its wide release on November 27th, I recently sat down with writer-director Rian Johnson for an exclusive interview. As most of you know, Knives Out stars Daniel Craig and Lakeith Stanfield as a pair of detectives looking into the mysterious death of novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer). High on the suspect list is Harlan’s entire family, made up of Jaime Lee Curtis, Chris Evans, Toni Collette, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, and Katherine Langford. Ana De Armas also stars as Harlan Thrombey’s in-home nurse. For more on the film, read Adam Chitwood’s glowing review.

knives-out-daniel-craig
Image via Lionsgate

As you’ve heard me say many times, Knives Out is one of my favorite films of 2019 and I strongly recommend seeing the movie in a crowded theater. It’s one of those rare films where there is no weak link. Everything from the performances, to the script, to the music, is pitch perfect and you’ll leave the theater raving about the film to your friends. Trust me, you should see Knives Out as soon as possible to avoid finding out the twists and turns.

During my interview with Rian Johnson, he talked about how the film plays a lot funnier than he expected due to the brilliant cast, what it was like on set when everyone was working, how he works with cinematographer Steve Yedlin to craft the shots, which scene required the most takes and why, if he has any ideas for a Knives Out sequel, and a lot more.

Check out what he had to say in the player above and below is exactly what we talked about followed by the official synopsis.

knives-out-cast
Image via Lionsgate

Rian Johnson:

  • What do we need to do to get him and Daniel Craig to make sequels?
  • Does he have an idea for a Knives Out sequel?
  • Was he writing it to be as funny as it turned out?
  • How the film plays funnier than he expected due to the cast.
  • What was it like on set when the entire cast was working?
  • The challenge of blocking for a big group of people.
  • Do they do a lot of coverage when filming?
  • What scene required the most takes and why?
knives-out-rian-johnson-chris-evans-ana-de-armas
Image via Lionsgate

Here is the official synopsis for Knives Out:

Acclaimed writer and director Rian Johnson (Brick, Looper, The Last Jedi) pays tribute to mystery mastermind Agatha Christie in KNIVES OUT, a fun, modern-day murder mystery where everyone is a suspect. When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan’s dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan’s untimely death. With an all-star ensemble cast including Chris Evans, Ana De Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Johnson, Michael Shannon, Toni Collette, LaKeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford and Jaeden Martell, KNIVES OUT is a witty and stylish whodunit guaranteed to keep audiences guessing until the very end.