Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Michael Shannon are all suspects in Rian Johnson’s upcoming murder mystery movie, Knives Out.
Rian Johnson and Chris Evans’ last films were two of the biggest genre films of the decade, but it looks like their next movie will be decidedly smaller in scale in terms of plot and setting. Despite having a title which could be attached to the kind of sci-fi or superhero fare that Johnson and Evans are certainly used to, Knives Out is instead an ensemble murder mystery. Described by Rian Johnson as an “Agatha Christie story and put it into a new original story set in modern-day America,” the film is a classic whodunnit tale of murder, money and a quarreling family.
However, just because Knives Out is smaller in scale doesn’t mean it’s smaller star power. Knives Out boasts an impressive laundry list of actors — half who’s who of young Hollywood, half giants of the industry.
The story centers around Christopher Plummer’s Harlan Thrombey, an author of mystery novels who dies suspiciously during a reunion with his family, none of whom seem particularly fond of one another. His illustrious family includes his daughter, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, his son Walt, played by Michael Shannon, and grandson Ransom, who is Chris Evans playing delightfully against type. There’s also Toni Collette, Don Johnson and Katherine Langford playing various other members of the Thrombey family.
Harlan is an author who has enjoyed Stephen King levels of success, which means there’s quite a lot of money at stake with his death. Cue the proverbial — and perhaps literal, as this is a murder mystery, after all — knives coming out.
Added into the mix of these family shenanigans are those attempting to solve the murder, including Lakeith Stanfield and Noah Segan as local police officers investigating the murder and Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc, a Southern detective and a role that allows Craig to likewise play against type.
Rounding out the main cast, we also have Ana de Armas as Marta, who here plays Harlan’s nurse and was described by Johnson as being “very close to him when he died” and the film’s “moral center.”
Knives Out comes out November 27 — the day before Thanksgiving — so you can watch the movie and be thankful that at least your family isn’t that crazy.
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