Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery — New York Special Screening at SVA Theater

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Nov 5

Written By Jonathan P. Moustakas

Daniel Craig speaks onstage during the Wake Up Dead Man NY Special Screening at SVA Theater on November 02, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Netflix)

Rian Johnson, Daniel Craig, and J.J. Abrams bring mystery, laughter, and star power to the SVA Theater for an exclusive early screening of Wake Up Dead Man in New York.

On Saturday night, November 2, 2025, the SVA Theater in New York City played host to a special advance screening of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, drawing a packed audience of industry insiders, journalists, and celebrity guests. The evening marked one of the film’s final pre-release stops ahead of its December launch, continuing the celebrated partnership between writer-director Rian Johnson and star Daniel Craig.

Guests arrived to a red-carpet reception lined with photographers and custom Knives Out branding, as the theater’s marquee gleamed in the brisk Manhattan night. Daniel Craig, joined by castmates and longtime collaborators, greeted fans and stopped for group photos before the screening began. The energy was both intimate and electric — the kind of night that reminds New York why it remains the beating heart of modern cinema.

Following the screening, J.J. Abrams took the stage to moderate an in-depth Q&A with Johnson and Craig. The conversation ranged from the creative challenges of reinventing Benoit Blanc for a third time to the ensemble’s chemistry and the film’s shifting tone. Johnson described Wake Up Dead Man as his “darkest, funniest, and most human” mystery yet, teasing a moral dimension that deepens the series’ already rich cinematic world.

Craig, relaxed and wry, spoke about returning to the role with renewed curiosity. “You can’t just do the same thing twice,” he said, earning laughter from the audience. “Benoit’s a man who thinks he’s figured out humanity — and keeps learning he hasn’t.” Abrams, meanwhile, praised the film’s precision and playfulness, calling it “a masterclass in control and chaos,” and joked that moderating the discussion was “like trying to solve a mystery while sitting between the suspects.”

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The screening drew an eclectic crowd of New York creatives, from filmmakers and critics to artists and stylists, underscoring how Johnson’s blend of wit and world-building continues to captivate across genres. With glowing early reactions from both Venice and TIFF earlier this year, Wake Up Dead Man looks poised to continue Netflix’s awards-season streak while solidifying Knives Out as one of modern cinema’s most ambitious and enduring franchises.

The film premieres globally this December, reuniting Craig with a new star-studded cast that includes Cailee Spaeny, Josh O’Connor, Andrew Scott, Glenn Close, Kerry Washington, and Mila Kunis. Judging by the reception in New York, audiences are ready once again to follow Benoit Blanc down the rabbit hole of deceit, vanity, and razor-sharp humor.