In a surprising revelation that will shock fans of the beloved detective series, Knives Out director Rian Johnson has disclosed that Daniel Craig almost missed the opportunity to play the iconic Southern sleuth Benoit Blanc due to his commitments as James Bond.
The Casting Struggle
During a recent interview, Johnson explained the challenging casting process for the first Knives Out film. "Daniel wasn't available. He was doing the Bond movies," Johnson told IndieWire. "He was my first choice for it but he was a hard 'not available'."
The director revealed they approached numerous other actors for the now-iconic role of Benoit Blanc, meeting with multiple rejections. "We went to other people for it. We got a bunch of 'no's about Benoit Blanc," Johnson admitted, though he chose not to name the actors who turned down the part.
A Last-Minute Miracle
The casting breakthrough came unexpectedly when delays in Bond filming created a window in Craig's schedule. "The instant there was some delay with the Bond movie and Daniel had a window, the instant he became available, I leapt. Thank God Daniel got it," Johnson expressed with evident relief.
The production moved at lightning speed once Craig signed on. "The moment Daniel read the script and said yes, it was six weeks until we were shooting," Johnson revealed, noting that the tight timeline actually helped secure the actor without competing offers from major franchises intervening.
Continuing the Partnership
The first Knives Out film, released in 2019, proved to be a massive success story. Made on a modest budget of about £30m, the ensemble mystery featuring stars including Chris Evans and Ana de Armas earned nearly £240m at the box office.
This success led to Netflix acquiring the rights to two sequels in a staggering £345m deal. Johnson emphasised that the future of the franchise depends entirely on his continued partnership with Craig. "For me, personally, these movies are working with Daniel. It's a partnership," he stated, adding that they would stop making the films if either lost enthusiasm.
The third instalment, Wake Up Dead Man, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2025 to critical acclaim. Johnson described it as Benoit Blanc's "most personal journey yet", marking a departure from the Agatha Christie style towards darker, Edgar Allan Poe-inspired territory.
The new film features an impressive supporting cast including Josh O'Connor as a young priest, Josh Brolin as a monsignor, and Glenn Close as a parishioner, continuing the series' tradition of stellar ensemble performances.
