After fifteen years as James Bond, British actor Daniel Craig appears to have found a fresh surge of fame with his detective Benoit Blanc. He brings the sleuth to life again in the second chapter of Daggers in the Back, which is being unveiled this week in Madrid.
Daggers in the Back: The Mystery of the Glass Onion revisits the winning formula of Rian Johnson’s first film, released in 2019, while pushing social satire and power critique a step further. Comedy and mystery blend with a sense of Agatha Christie style puzzle solving.
We laugh at power, Craig notes, because those in charge sometimes deserve it. The movie is pure fun, yet Johnson also offers ideas worth chewing on. If you watch again, there will be new details to notice.
Craig is the lone returning character in this new episode. Edward Norton plays a billionaire tech entrepreneur and philanthropist who invites friends to an annual gathering on his private Greek island to play a game that centers on solving a staged murder.
The cast also includes Kate Hudson as a bold, high-spirited model, a muscular and macho internet personality, and Kathryn Hahn as a former independent governor who aspires to the U.S. Senate.
The characters are funny, and each one reveals a well-rounded person, Hudson adds. If you want to talk about the film after viewing it, that discussion is part of what makes the movie so engaging.
Craig says he had a wonderful time making the first film and was eager to return. Both he and the director are already hinting at a third installment. The actor jokes about the risk of feeling trapped in a long-running franchise after so many years as Bond.
I doubt there is a worse fate than being trapped in a successful franchise, he remarks. I feel lucky and proud to have worked with James Bond for so long and with Rian Johnson. I would have happily done more than one movie and would be content if no other projects came along.
Craig is cautious about revealing details about his new character, but Johnson confirms it is Benoit Blanc appearing in London, a playful cameo that fans will recognize.
Daggers in the Back: The Mystery of the Glass Onion, produced by Netflix, is slated to reach theaters in select markets before a broader release on the platform. The theatrical window will be brief, with broader availability within a month of its debut.
The original film was a box office success, earning more than 311 million dollars worldwide on a modest budget of around 40 million. In 2020 Netflix secured the rights to extend the Blanc storyline, signaling continued adventures for the beloved detective.