We have finally begun peeling back the layers of the mysterious Glass Onion.
Fans have been eagerly anticipating the follow-up to Rian Johnson’s smash-hit whodunnit, Knives Out since Netflix announced it would be financing two sequels written and directed by Johnson, with Daniel Craig reprising his role as elusive detective Benoit Blanc.
Empire Magazine’s latest cover story will give us a deeper dive into what we can expect, but they have already released some key character details in anticipation of their October 2022 issue.
Starring an entirely new murderers’ row of characters, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery has Benoit Blanc on an island getaway when he’s invited to a murder-mystery party held by tech giant Miles Bron (Edward Norton). After the party lives up to its premise, Blanc is put onto the case, and tensions naturally arise.
Among the list of suspects is Bron himself, who Johnson calls an “instantly recognisable” archetype “in our era of tech billionaires.” Netflix’s synopsis confirms the party is hosted on his private island, so naturally he’s first on the chopping block.
One of Empire’s exclusive first-look images has him confronting Duke Cody (Dave Bautista), a YouTube star accompanied by his visibly younger girlfriend and channel assistant Whiskey (Madelyn Cline). Johnson is leaving no stone unturned, it seems.
The list of archetypal sendups continues with Claire Debella (Kathryn Hahn), a governor from Connecticut running for a Senate seat who “pisses everyone off,” according to Johnson. “[She] is trying to thread the needle in many different ways, in terms of her public persona and what she’s willing to compromise in order to stay in office.” Hot off of her fan-favorite portrayal of Agatha Harkness in WandaVision, Hahn is sure to be a scene-stealer.
Rounding out this group of punchable faces are entrepreneur Cassandra “Andi” Brand (Janelle Monae), fashion icon Birdie Jay (Kate Hudson) alongside her assistant Peg (Jessica Henwick), and scientist Lionel Toussaint (Leslie Odom Jr.). As an employee at Bron’s company, could he potentially have a sworn allegiance?
Much like the previous film, Glass Onion will be laced with social commentary, this time tackling the hot button issue of the wealth gap. “The movie itself is not entirely about the income divide, but that definitely has a huge place in it,” Johnson explains. “We’re in a moment in history where the divide feels increasingly obscene. Like a circus that we can’t keep our eyes off even as the negative effects of it become more and more real in all our lives.” Given this cast of punchable personalities and the multifaceted thematic takedowns in Knives Out, Johnson will surely go for the throat in more ways than one.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery will have its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday, September 10th as part of its Special Presentations section, followed by a limited theatrical release on a date yet-to-be announced.
The film will be available on Netflix globally beginning December 23rd, just in time for the holiday season.
Larry Fried is a filmmaker, writer, and podcaster based in New Jersey. He is the host and creator of the podcast “My Favorite Movie is…,” a podcast dedicated to helping filmmakers make somebody’s next favorite movie. He is also the Visual Content Manager for Special Olympics New Jersey, an organization dedicated to competition and training opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities across the Garden State.
