A fresh mystery unfolds as Daniel Craig’s famed detective Benoit Blanc returns for Daggers in the Back: The Mystery of the Glass Onion. Netflix will bring the new chapter to screens on December 23, with the script and direction once again in the hands of Rian Johnson.
Johnson likens casting to a thoughtful dinner party, a vibe echoed in the first promotional image that shows the ensemble gathered around a grand banquet table. The cast includes Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline, Kate Hudson, and Dave Bautista, all set to expand Blanc’s world with new layers of intrigue and wit.
“You invite people you genuinely admire, and then you wait to see what becomes of the table,” the director explains. He adds that the creative process felt natural, highlighting how the group’s chemistry aligns with the film’s playful yet precise storytelling. Johnson drew inspiration for this latest outing from the peculiar, quarantined holidays he imagined during the pandemic, channeling that odd blend of festivity and tension into the movie’s tone.
The second image release focuses on Monáe, glass in hand, dressed in an opulent gown and listening intently as Johnson talks backstage. The backdrop features a Mediterranean sunset over Greece, a choice that underscores the sequel’s setting as more than a backdrop: it becomes a character in the mystery. The title Glass Onion nods to the iconic Beatles track, hinting at musical echoes and layered secrets that will unfold as Blanc navigates the island’s quieter menace.
If the prior film leaned into intense family dynamics and the old wounds that bind them, this new installment shifts the spotlight to Blanc’s sharper instincts and deeper access to the human quirks that drive deception. He is invited to a private island escape by a billionaire host, only to find a puzzle that widens the circle of suspects and motives. Viewers will follow Blanc’s reasoning as he peels back each layer, revealing how friendship, trust, and envy can twist into danger when secrets are at stake.
According to the official synopsis, the invitation to the secluded getaway becomes a doorway into a world where perfection masks fragility. When a death disrupts the fragile illusion of paradise, Blanc steps in with his trademark blend of deduction and improvisation. The narrative invites audiences to watch as clues accumulate, alibis falter, and the truth emerges from a tapestry of lies, all seen through Blanc’s perceptive lens. The film continues Johnson’s long-standing fascination with Agatha Christie’s storytelling traditions while injecting his own modern sensibility and humor into every scene, every line, and every twist.