Knives Out

Knives Out is a 2019 American mystery film written and directed by Rian Johnson. Daniel Craig leads an eleven-actor ensemble cast as Benoit Blanc, famed private detective summoned to investigate the death of bestselling author Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer). When police rule Harlan's case a suicide, Blanc suspects foul play and examines a host of clues and dubious red herrings to ascertain his true manner of death. Rian produced Knives Out with longtime collaborator Ram Bergman. Lionsgate managed the film's commercial distribution, and funding was sourced through MRC and a multimillion dollar tax subsidy from the Massachusetts state government. Rian conceived Knives Out in the mid-2000s. Seeking to modernize the whodunit films of the mid-twentieth century, the director's concept gleaned from his interest in big-screen movie adaptations of Agatha Christie's stories. Rian eventually pivoted to creation of his 2017 film Star Wars: The Last Jedi, halting further progress on Knives Out. Development resumed the following year when Rian wrote the screenplay in six or seven months. He devised a framework of tonal shifts to escalate tension between the characters, and informed elements of the story with his experience coping with intense culture war backlash to The Last Jedi. Principal photography began in October 2018 on a $40 million budget, and wrapped that December. Filming transpired on location in suburban Boston. Nathan Johnson composed Knives Out classical score, which drew on an eclectic array of his favorite symphonic film scores. Knives Out premiered at the 44th Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2019, and was distributed to American theaters on November 27 to major critical and commercial success. It was chosen as one of the year's top films by the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute, and finished the theatrical run grossing $311.9 million at the global box office. Critics distinguished the actors and film's story for praise, though certain aspects of the writing and performance drew occasional criticism. Knives Out was nominated for multiple awards, among them three Golden Globes, a BAFTA, and an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.