Netflix close to securing both of Rian Johnson’s Knives Out sequels for $450m

Acquisition would be one of the biggest streamer movie deals in history

Netflix is reportedly closing a deal to produce two sequels to 2019's blockbuster mystery film Knives Out. Writer-director Rian Johnson is also set to oversee the project with producing partner Ram Bergman, and Daniel Craig will reprise his role as detective Benoit Blanc, according to Deadline.

Deadline, which broke the story, said the deal will be worth more than $400m, which would make it one of the biggest streamer movie deals in history. Apple and Amazon were also said to be in contention for distributing the Knives Out sequels.

Meanwhile, Variety reports that the actual figure Netflix is paying will be closer to $450m for the rights to both sequels.

The first of the two sequels is set to start filming on 28 June in Greece.

Jon Feltheimer, the CEO of Lionsgate, which distributed the 2019 film, first announced the news of a sequel during the studio’s quarterly earnings call in February 2020.

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Johnson, who is best known for making the critically beloved (but popularly divisive) Star Wars film The Last Jedi, had previously spoken about his desire to make a sequel. He was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the 2020 Oscars ceremony.

Knives Out was a lighthearted murder mystery romp focusing on the death of a wealthy patriarch. Alongside Craig, the film starred Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, the late Christopher Plummer, Toni Collette, LaKeith Stanfield and Michael Shannon.