Netflix’s Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, set to premiere on December 12, 2025, is shattering expectations as the darkest, deadliest chapter in Rian Johnson’s acclaimed franchise, leaving Knives Out and Glass Onion in its chilling shadow. Daniel Craig reprises his role as the razor-sharp detective Benoit Blanc, thrust into a sinister game of lies, betrayal, and murder that fans on X are calling “the case that might break him.” With a 91% Rotten Tomatoes score from early screenings, per netflix.com, and 2.4 million trailer views since its May 31, 2025, debut, Wake Up Dead Man delivers a gothic puzzle so twisted it’s igniting a global frenzy. This is the murder mystery to end all mysteries, and it’s poised to dominate your 2025 binge.

Set in a haunting upstate New York hamlet, Wake Up Dead Man follows Blanc as he investigates a “seemingly impossible murder” in an old stone church, per tudum.com. The star-studded cast, including Josh O’Connor as young priest Jud Duplenticy, Josh Brolin as Monsignor Jefferson Wicks, and Mila Kunis as police chief Geraldine Scott, weaves a web of deception, with each suspect’s charming facade hiding a deadly edge, per imdb.com.

Director Rian Johnson, speaking to empireonline.com, calls it Blanc’s “most personal journey,” with flashbacks and gothic visuals amplifying the stakes. X fans are raving, one tweeting, “This is darker than Knives Out—Blanc’s unraveling!” Another posted, “The twists are SICK—I’m shook!”

Filmed in atmospheric locations like the Catskills and a cavernous chapel designed by Rick Heinrichs, per netflix.com, the film’s chiaroscuro cinematography and Nathan Johnson’s haunting score create a chilling vibe, earning praise as “The Sinner meets Succession,” per variety.com. The story’s emotional weight, with Blanc confronting his own vulnerabilities, resonates deeply, drawing 3.1 million viewers to Knives Out re-watches on Netflix, per Nielsen. The ensemble, including Glenn Close, Kerry Washington, and Andrew Scott, delivers “career-defining” performances, per hollywoodreporter.com. After premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 6, 2025, and a two-week theatrical run starting November 26, Wake Up Dead Man is Netflix’s boldest bet yet.

Join the X frenzy and stream Knives Out and Glass Onion on Netflix to prepare for Wake Up Dead Man. Will Blanc crack the case, or will this puzzle shatter him? This is the darkest, most addictive mystery of 2025.