Knives Out director didn't originally envision Daniel Craig as Blank

Knives Out and The Glass Onion: Knives Out writer/director Rian Johnson revealed he didn't initially envision Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc.

Knives Out writer-director Rian Johnson revealed that he didn't initially envision Daniel Craig as Detective Benoit Blanc when he wrote the script. Released in 2019, Knock Out puts a new spin on the classic Agatha Christie murder mystery formula, following Craig's Southern detective as he investigates the murder of the patriarch of an eccentric family. The film was well received by audiences and critics alike, doing well at the box office and garnering very positive reviews. Blank returns in Johnson's critically acclaimed sequel, The Glass Onion: Mystery of Knock Out, which released on Netflix late last month. The duo will team up again for a third, as-yet-untitled film in the coming years.

While it's hard to imagine another actor taking on the role of Blank in Into the Wild now, Johnson revealed in a recent interview with Queue that he didn't actually have the character in mind when he wrote the script. The writer/director explained that after initially assigning too many eccentric traits to Blank, he paired the character with his most basic elements, with the expectation that he would further shape the character based on which actor finally into character. Check out Johnson's full review below: ^Craig is known to many audiences for his role as British superspy James Bond in 2006's Casino Royale and 2021's No Time to Die. And take the franchise seriously, more like a Jason Bourne movie than past 007 iterations. Knockout, then, represents a pretty big departure from the Bond franchise, a role Craig clearly loves and the distinctly southern drawl accent that comes with it.

"Oh God, no. I wrote the character in a vacuum. Basically, when I started writing the Benoit Blanc character, I screwed myself up because I started thinking that I wanted to create a Poirot or a Sherlock Holmes, so I started loading him up with all these quirks, and he just became ridiculous. Finally, I said, I’m not going to try and create a character on the page beyond what his actions are in the mystery. So the only thing I gave him was, I think I called it a “light Southern drawl.” Then I just wrote to his function in the story, and thought, When I find whoever’s going to play this, then we’ll work together and we’ll create the character. It wasn’t like we changed the dialogue or changed the script or anything — just Daniel inhabiting that role and bringing his vibe to it instantly brought it to life. No eye patch required, thank God."

Rian Johnson is this week's digital cover star. The #GlassOnion writer-director talks his filmmaker beginnings, his approach to the creative process, and his passion for mysteries: https://t.co/URkdmUiQXR pic.twitter.com/X6qpg7CFWu— Queue (@netflixqueue) December 28, 2022

Why Daniel Craig Is The Perfect Benoit Blanc

In both Knives Out movies, Craig's Blank operates on a completely different level than the other characters, being more of a cryptic observer in the first and more of a cryptic observer in the second. Be a more active participant. Craig is able to capture Blanc's highly intelligent inner life, which often puts him at odds with those around him, as well as the character's somewhat flamboyant exterior, especially in "The Glass Onion: Mystery of Wilderness Action." Seeing Craig take on a role that was refreshing after years of playing a character who solved problems by punching and kicking A character who approaches conflict in a completely different way, preferring to artfully gather information and put all the mysteries together before finally announcing his inferences to a stunned crowd of onlookers.

After the success of the first Knockout, Netflix acquired the rights to two sequels for a whopping $250 million. It's unclear what Johnson has planned for the third film, but the latest sequel suggests that Craig's detective will once again play a central role in a new mystery with new suspects and supporting characters. Whatever awaits Blank in Johnson's upcoming Fallout 3, fans and critics are clearly appreciative of Craig's decision to take on the role after years of playing a more serious action hero and for the role. Thrilled to be injected with such charm and humor.

More: Glass Onion Continues 2 of Rian Johnson's Oldest Traditions

Source: Queue