Dave Bautista has been cast in the sequel to “Knives Out.”
He joins Daniel Craig, whose iridescent Detective Benoit
Blanc propelled the first movie to box office glory, in an undisclosed role.
Plot details for the follow-up have been kept under wraps, though it’s expected
to enlist another A-list cast to anchor a soapy murder mystery. It’s unclear if
any other stars from original ensemble will be returning.
Netflix declined to comment on Bautista’s casting.
The project reunites Bautista and Craig, who previously
appeared together in the 2015 James Bond film “Spectre.” Bautista, who plays
Drax the Destroyer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is also teaming with
Netflix on Zack Snyder’s zombie thriller “Army of the Dead.” His upcoming film
roles include Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” remake, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.
3” and “Thor: Love and Thunder.”
In March, Netflix bought rights to “Knives Out 2” and
“Knives Out 3” for a cool $468 million. Rian Johnson is returning to direct the
sequel, which is planning to start production in Greece this summer.
The first “Knives Out” was produced by Media Rights Capital
and was distributed by Lionsgate. It became a critical and commercial smash,
earning more than $300 million at the global box office. These days, that’s not
an easy feat for a movie that’s not based on existing IP or familiar
characters.
“Knives Out” — starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Chris Evans, Toni
Collette and Ana de Armas — centers on a fabulously wealthy family and takes
place after their patriarch, the renowned author Harlan Thrombey (Christopher
Plummer), dies on the evening of his 85th birthday.