Why Daniel Craig Nearly Lost His Role As Knives Out's Benoit Blanc
by Nina Starner · /FilmPersonally, I choose not to imagine a world where Daniel Craig didn't get to play the Southern-accented, wisecracking Hercule Poirot-style detective Benoit Blanc in Rian Johnson's "Knives Out" movies. Apparently, though, that alternate universe does exist, according to Johnson himself.
In an interview with IndieWire's Mike Ryan in advance of Johnson and Craig's latest Blanc collaboration, "Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery," Johnson admitted that Craig's availability was an issue when he started working on the first "Knives Out" film (which released in late 2019). "When we were first trying to get 'Knives Out' made, Daniel wasn't available. He was doing the Bond movies," Johnson revealed before mentioning something particularly interesting. "He was my first choice for it, but he was a hard 'not available' because he was on the Bond movies," the filmmaker added. "So, we went to other people for it. We got a bunch of 'no's about Benoit Blanc."
Johnson refrained from discussing who he approached and who said no (despite Ryan's best efforts and jokes about those actors probably regretting that move now), but said he was really, really happy Craig was able to make it work. "I'll reiterate that the instant there was some delay with the Bond movie and Daniel had a window, the instant he became available, I leapt. Thank God. Thank God Daniel got it," Johnson mused, adding that Craig's casting gave the project serious momentum:
"And the moment Daniel read the script and said yes, it was six weeks until we were shooting. So, the whole movie was put together really, really quickly. Which, actually, with casting, helps."
Johnson explained that, because of the immediacy of his inquiry, he was also able to get Craig much more quickly than if shooting was set to begin months later.
Rian Johnson says he'll never recast the role of Benoit Blanc
At that point, Mike Ryan asked a really vital question. After saying that he didn't choose Bond as a reference point simply because of Daniel Craig but because the role is famously played by a whole host of actors, Ryan continued, "Is Benoit Blanc like James Bond for you in which different actors could play him if Daniel doesn't want to do it anymore? Or is he Indiana Jones where Harrison Ford is Indiana Jones?" Rian Johnson was completely direct: "He's Indy. He's Daniel doing it."
This is, honestly, great news for fans of "Knives Out," because part of the joy of watching this franchise of films comes from the collaboration between two people as talented as Johnson and Craig. Even as the superstar casts shuffle in and out, we're always following Benoit Blanc, who's played with depth and levity, somehow, by Craig. Johnson apparently agrees with the legions of fans who love Craig as Benoit Blanc. "For me, personally, these movies are working with Daniel. It's a partnership. And the instant either one of us feels even slightly like not doing it, we'll stop doing it," he remarked.
Johnson went on, saying that the films are a testament to his rapport with Craig. "Like I said, Daniel is a partner in these things. We're in the boat together in this thing," he continued. "I think the pressure we both put on ourselves is trying to do right by the other one. And that's a really good partnership. If Daniel is happy, I'm happy."
Knives Out 4 will not be Rian Johnson's next project
While Rian Johnson was quite clear that he loves making "Knives Out" movies with Daniel Craig and hopes to continue that partnership, he also revealed something interesting about his next project. As Mike Ryan pointed out, when he talked to Johnson about the first "Knives Out" film, he got the sense that Johnson wanted to keep churning out sequels for "the rest of [his] career." Johnson's answer actually proved that the filmmaker is of two minds about that (sort of).
"I feel the exact same way," Johnson said of making more "Knives Out" films going forward. "Especially after working with the past two casts. It's heaven." That's when Johnson made a surprising admission, though. "But the thing I'm writing now is not one of these movies. It's an original, totally different thing," he revealed to Ryan. "So, I won't just be making these. But if Daniel and I feel we are able to figure out a different thing to talk about, or approach, or makes it scary in the right way for us, I would be thrilled to keep making these movies."
Again, I unabashedly love Johnson and Craig's collaborations on the "Knives Out" movies, and I know I'm far from alone; every time one releases, it feels like a major cinematic event. Johnson is a brilliant, daring, and inventive filmmaker, so I've no doubt that he'll cook up something fantastic before he sets out to make "Knives Out 4." Still, it's a relief to hear that, at the end of the day, we'll hopefully get some more on-screen mysteries for Benoit Blanc to handily and cleverly solve.
"Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery" hits theaters on November 26, 2025, before heading to Netflix on December 12, 2025.