Netflix has begun to unravel the mystery behind writer-director Rian Johnson's highly anticipated third Knives Out film, Knives Out sequel.

The teaser for the Wake Up Dead Man is brief and very enigmatic, keeping major and explicit details about Johnson's next movie a mystery. However, despite revealing very little about the film, the teaser has several huge implications about where the story is set, what the characters will experience, and even what the killer's motivations are. All in all, the teaser for Wake Up Dead Man hints at a film unlike anything seen before in the Knives Out franchise, making for another exciting murder mystery movie.

The First Teaser For Knives Out 3, Wake Up Dead Man, Is Ominous

The Teaser For Knives Out 3 Is A Mystery In Itself

The official X (formerly Twitter) for Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery posted a teaser trailer for the film. Instead of presenting any characters or revealing plot points for the film, the teaser only features a 12-second video of a church, and the footage is very uneventful. Throughout this brief shot, the camera merely pans up to show the full height of this mysterious church with a bell ringing in the background. The video doesn't even end with a title drop or a release date for the film. Check out the teaser below:

Accompanying the film's teaser trailer is a message that reads: "The wicked desire the stronghold of evildoers, but the root of the righteous endures." The post does not cite the source of this quote, making the movie's teaser odd, ambiguous, yet eerie. Nevertheless, the trailer succeeds in building hype for Benoit Blanc's next big case while revealing very little about it, as there is surely another huge mystery waiting to be unveiled in the film.

Knives Out 3's Teaser Quote Is A Bible Verse

Knives Out 3's Teaser References Scripture And Hints At Many Secrets

Fitting with the church presented in the video, the cryptic text featured in Wake Up Dead Man's teaser is taken straight from Proverbs 12:12. The biblical age says that while evil people commit evil deeds to benefit themselves, only righteous actions will have a positive, lasting impact. Since the Knives Out franchise has largely centered around amoral rich people with at least one greedy murderer among them, this age seems to fit well into the marketing for the third film while also hinting at the moral of Wake Up Dead Man's story.

While the use of Proverbs 12:12 may convey the message of the film's story, it may be carrying another hidden message as well. The specific Bible verse may be a secret announcement for the film's release date, saying it will premiere on the 12th of December: the 12th month of the year. Writer-director Rian Johnson stated that Wake Up Dead Man was expected to premiere in the fall of 2025, and December 12th falls within that season, so the numbers associated with the teaser's Bible verse may not be just a coincidence.

Knives Out 3's Teaser Suggests A Church Is The Main Location

A Church Is A Distinctive New Setting For The Knives Out Franchise

The fact that the teaser for Wake Up Dead Man focuses on a church implies that this place of worship will be the main setting for the film's story. Netflix has already shared a behind-the-scenes shot of Daniel Craig and co-star Josh O'Connor in character in a church set for Wake Up Dead Man. It now seems that said church will be the site of the latest murder that Benoit has been brought in to investigate.

The film's church setting alone should help Wake Up Dead Man stand out in the franchise, as the first two Knives Out movies took place in lavish mansions. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery was even set in a mansion on a private island, taking the franchise's uber-rich characters to a whole new level. By focusing on a church, the teaser implies that Knives Out 3 will break away from the trend set by its predecessors by having the story take place in a church.

Wake Up Dead Man's Teaser Is Already Setting Up A Different Knives Out Movie

Wake Up Dead Man's Teaser Hints At A Unique Experience For Benoit And His Murder Suspects

Wake Up Dead Man's eerie but mysterious trailer has teased a movie that will be a unique addition to the Knives Out franchise for several reasons. For one thing, the church setting should give the movie a more Gothic and classical look and feel than previous Knives Out films. The emphasis on religion in the teaser is also very unusual for the franchise, suggesting that the killer of Wake Up Dead Man is motivated by moral principles, rather than a desire for financial gain, as seen in the last two films.

If Wake Up Dead Man does take place in a church, then the story would likely push the wealthy characters farther out of their comfort zones than previous films have, even after one of the characters turns up dead.

Likewise, the church setting will help the film stand out by placing its cast of characters outside a luxurious environment. In the first two Knives Out movies, the rich characters were depicted living within their bubble of wealth as they tried to enjoy themselves in lavish mansions. If Wake Up Dead Man does take place in a church, then the story would likely push the wealthy characters farther out of their comfort zones than previous films have, even after one of the characters turns up dead.

The 12-second trailer seems to reveal a lot about the film's story without showing or saying much about it. After following Benoit through opulent mansions in the first two films, it seems the Knives Out franchise will do something different by having him investigate a crime at the church presented in the teaser.

If this turns out to be the case, this should put both Benoit and his suspects in an unfamiliar situation by taking them away from a more luxurious environment in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. This could help present a fresh viewing experience for audiences familiar with the franchise, all while setting up a story that could surprise viewers like previous Knives Out movies have.

Source: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery/X