Lakeith Stanfield joins Daniel Craig in Rian Johnson’s Knives Out

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Before STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI writer/director Rian Johnson returns to the realm of STAR WARS for an all-new trilogy separate from the Skywalker saga, his next project will be a little more down to earth, a murder-mystery known as KNIVES OUT.

Deadline has reported that Lakeith Stanfield (SORRY TO BOTHER YOU) has joined the cast of KNIVES OUT alongside Daniel Craig and Chris Evans. KNIVES OUT was one of the hottest projects to come out of the Toronto International Film Festival, with many distributors bidding on the project before Media Rights Capital walked away as the victor. Not much is known about the film other than it will be a contemporary murder mystery with Daniel Craig playing a detective assigned to solve the crime. Chris Evans' role hasn't been revealed at this time, but it's said that Lakeith Stanfield will also be playing a detective. Rian Johnson, who will be writing and directing the film, has long been a fan of Agatha Christie and it's said that KNIVES OUT will be inspired by those classic whodunits. The director was also quite eager to work with Daniel Craig.

I have been a huge fan and always wanted to work with him and as I worked on the script, trying to get it right, Ram and I were wringing our hands over who could be the detective. Then, serendipitously, we heard Daniel might have a small window, and it worked out. He’s an actor of extraordinary range, and we are looking forward to the fun of finding that modern detective, and collaborating with Daniel on creating a new Poirot.

It's expected that KNIVES OUT will start shooting before the year is out as Daniel Craig has a free spot on his schedule thanks to BOND 25 having been pushed back. As for Lakeith Stanfield, he'll next be seen in THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER'S WEB on November 9, 2018 as Ed Neeham, an NSA security expert who is tracking Lisbeth Salander (Claire Foy).