Jeremy Renner, known for his incredible survival after being run over by a 14,000-pound snowplow in 2023, shared insights into his challenging recovery and how filming “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” aided his healing process. Renner, who joined the cast for his first film since the accident, spoke at Variety’s TIFF Studio about the immense support and camaraderie among his costars. He likened the filming experience to a stage play due to the constant interaction among the large ensemble cast, expressing gratitude for being welcomed back to the job he loves with such great people.

“Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,” the highly anticipated third installment in the popular series, features an all-star cast including Daniel Craig, Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church. The film, written, directed, and produced by Rian Johnson, is set to debut at TIFF on September 6 and will be released globally on Netflix on December 12. Daniel Craig returns as the astute detective Benoit Blanc, anchoring the third chapter as he did the previous two.

The world premiere of “Wake Up Dead Man” at the Toronto Film Festival was met with an enthusiastic reception, with director Rian Johnson welcoming a packed house. The gothic thriller, which centers on a murder in a small-town Catholic church, elicited continuous laughs and cheers from the audience throughout its two-hour runtime. Following the screening, the star-studded cast, many of whom were seeing the film for the first time, received a roaring applause during the Q&A session. They expressed delight at the audience's enthusiasm, praising the on-set camaraderie and Rian Johnson's expert guidance.

Kerry Washington highlighted the inspiring dynamic among the cast, noting how they constantly awed, inspired, and even playfully messed with each other, making the experience a pure delight. Glenn Close emphasized the intricate nature of the murder mystery, advising audiences to watch the film multiple times to fully grasp its complexity. Rian Johnson noted that all three “Knives Out” movies have premiered at TIFF, expressing his excitement about sharing this third installment with such an incredible cast. Daniel Craig reflected on the unexpected journey of the “Knives Out” trilogy, which began with no grand ambitions but grew into a significant cinematic event. While not definitively retiring his character, Craig stated that future installments would depend on maintaining the high-quality standard set by the previous films, leaving the door open for Benoit Blanc's return.