Wake Up Dead Man Script Released by Rian Johnson: Read Before Watching

1 week ago 15

Father Jud and Benoit Blanc look curiously at something off-screen in Wake Up Dead Man

Published 14 minutes ago

Shealyn Scott is a Senior Writer at Screen Rant. She has been writing for the site since 2024, focused on network, reality, streaming, and classic television.
A creative writer, journalist, and lover of the written word in all its forms, Shealyn enjoys deconstructing scenes from her favorite shows, using context clues and historical precedent to predict major plot points (which, due to her successful track record, has sparked rumors of clairvoyancy).
As an award-winning student journalist, Shealyn spent her college years advocating for the humanities while studying English Literature. Her love of storytelling propelled her to expand her degree with minors in Writing and History, believing life to be a mere collection of stories that can be framed in as many ways as a movie scene.
As a Senior member of the TV Team, Shealyn treats the series she covers like books, analyzing every line, camera angle, and lighting choice. Thankfully, her personal mission statement lines up perfectly with Screen Rant: every creative work deserves just as much thought from the viewer as it received from its creator.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery has taken the world by storm since its late 2025 release, but creator Rian Johnson has just given fans an entirely new way to experience the story. The third entry in the Knives Out franchise, Wake Up Dead Man is an enthralling murder mystery surrounding a suspicious congregation in upstate New York.

From Wake Up Dead Man’s shocking ending to its star-studded ensemble cast, the highly-anticipated threequel did not disappoint. With Daniel Craig at the helm as genius detective Benoit Blanc, Wake Up Dead Man created an immersive world bolstered by its pithy social commentary. Yet, triple threat Rian Johnson— who wrote, directed, and produced the film— just further upped the ante.

The Writer Has Many Past Projects Available On His Website

Daniel Craig looking at Josh O'Connor in Wake Up Dead Man

Following its short theatrical release, Wake Up Dead Man has found immense streaming success on Netflix. Rather than simply watch the winding mystery, however, viewers can now access the shooting script for Wake Up Dead Man via Rian Johnson’s website. While not every scene perfectly matches up with the final product, it’s a mesmerizing glimpse into the film’s creation.

Alongside Wake Up Dead Man, Rian Johnson has shared scripts for Knives Out, Glass Onion, Looper, The Brothers Bloom, Brick, and the pilot episode of Poker Face. All are free to access, available for printing, and Johnson even encourages website visitors to use the scripts to “act out" their favorite movies with friends and family.

Watching Wake Up Dead Man After Reading The Script Is A Whole Other Experience

Reading Before Viewing Ensures You Catch Every Detail

Josh O'Connor holding up bloody fingers in Wake Up Dead Man

Beyond being an intriguing peek behind the proverbial curtain, reading the Wake Up Dead Man script could shed light on some easily missed details and enrich the overall viewing experience. Given the script is meant to paint a vivid picture for the cast and crew, there are clear explanations for major settings, facial expressions, and even tones for line delivery.

Aside from typical stage directions and dialogue, the Wake Up Dead Man script includes concept art for the "L'Eveil Appel" box and a basic blueprint of the church.

Furthermore, readers can compare the shooting script with the film that was actually released— some moments were reorganized, tweaked, or removed altogether to streamline the story. Nevertheless, it’s still fascinating to see the full picture, projected straight from Rian Johnson’s mind onto the pages of the Wake Up Dead Man script.

Will There Be Another Knives Out Movie?

The Future Is Uncertain But Bright For The Most Iconic Modern Detective

Josh O'Connor furtively speaking to Daniel Craig in Wake Up Dead Man

With the release of Wake Up Dead Man, Rian Johnson has officially fulfilled the terms of his Netflix deal. However, the Knives Out franchise isn’t necessarily over yet. Fans shouldn’t expect another installment to drop within the next few years, but Benoit Blanc will likely return for a fourth film eventually.

Rian Johnson has been vocal about his openness to future Knives Out sequels, but it’s abundantly clear that the franchise will only grow if and when Johnson has another story to tell. That day seems inevitable, but until then, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery and its predecessors will surely suffice.