‘Knives Out 3’ Needs More of Something We Caught a Glimpse of in ‘Glass Onion’

Rian Johnson’s newest murder mystery Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery has begun filming. The director announced this with a picture of Daniel Craig as the sleuth Benoit Blanc, who has gotten quite the makeover, but there’s something else I want to see more of, too.

In a three-piece suit, with stylish longer hair, Monsieur Benoit Blanc sure cuts a suave figure.

In true Knives Out fashion, the cast is stacked with names like Josh O’Connor, Andrew Scott, Mila Kunis, Cailee Spaeny, Kerry Washington, Jeremy Renner, Daryl McCormack, Josh Brolin, and Glenn Close. As Ayo Edebiri would say, it’s probably too early but I am simply too seated, because this franchise has always shown us a good mystery and a great time.

But there’s one thing I would hope Knives Out 3 gives us more of, and so far we haven’t heard a peep about it in the cast announcements. I’m talking about Benoit Blanc’s love life, and that equally handsome partner of his we got a glimpse of in Glass Onion, Phillip, played by Hugh Grant.

To refresh your memory, in Glass Onion, there’s a scene where Craig’s Benoit Blanc is at home playing Among Us with Angela Lansbury, Stephen Sondheim, Natasha Lyonne, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The doorbell rings (it’s Janelle Monáe’s character), and Blanc’s busy, so someone else opens the door. To everyone’s surprise, it’s Hugh Grant as Phillip, Blanc’s husband! 

Back when the Paddington actor’s cameo caused quite the stir during Glass Onion’s release, and fans definitely wanted more. Both Daniel Craig and Ryan Johnson were asked if the future movies would explore Blanc’s relationship with Phillip. Craig told ComicBook.com that he doesn’t want to explore much of Blanc’s personal life, and Johnson somewhat echoed his thoughts. 

Johnson, while talking to Netflix, maintained that the films aren’t really about the detective’s personal life, and he doesn’t want to shift focus from the murder mystery and the suspects to Blanc’s life, since he isn’t really the protagonist, more of an observer. And because a detective is only interesting in the role he plays in solving the mystery. 

However, Johnson has also said that while Benoit Blanc’s sexuality hasn’t been the focus in the earlier films, perhaps the later films could delve slightly more into it. And he’d be lucky to have Hugh Grant back to do his bit.

While I am all for standing by the director’s vision, ever since the cameo, I cannot help but think of how fun it would be to see Craig and Grant as scene partners, arguing maybe like an old married couple, and Phillip bringing out a hitherto unseen side of Blanc’s personality. After seeing Daniel Craig as James Bond, flirting with the hottest women, it would be delightful to see him banter with a dashing hunk like Hugh Grant!

I guess this cameo is a mystery we’ll have to wait for Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery to solve.