London’s 69th BFI Film Festival kicked off on Wednesday with the world premiere of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, marking Daniel Craig’s third outing as the charismatic detective Benoit Blanc. The festival, running until October 19, promises 12 days of red carpets, screenings, and filmmaker talks featuring an array of Hollywood heavyweights.

Craig, alongside co-stars Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, and others, led the red carpet celebrations for the latest Knives Out installment. The film takes a darker, more gothic approach compared to the 2019 original and 2022’s Glass Onion, giving fans a fresh tone while maintaining the signature whodunit intrigue.

“They’re all different from each other, which is what I think we set out to do … we wanted them all to be standalone so that each one had a different flavor,” Craig said. On reprising the role, he added, “I wouldn't do it unless I had fun doing it."

A New Murder Mystery in a Small Town

In Wake Up Dead Man, Craig’s detective Benoit Blanc investigates the murder of Monsignor Wicks, a small-town priest played by Josh Brolin. Suspicion quickly falls on one of his parishioners. The ensemble cast also includes Josh O’Connor, Jeremy Renner, Daryl McCormack, and Cailee Spaeny.

Writer-director Rian Johnson, who helmed the previous Knives Out films, shared that discussions for the third installment began immediately after the Glass Onion screening at last year’s festival. Johnson described the project as “a little more grounded,” aiming to offer audiences a balance of suspense, humor, and entertainment.

Star Power Across the Festival

The London Film Festival will showcase 247 films this year, drawing some of the biggest names in cinema. Expected attendees include George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Paul Mescal, Guillermo del Toro, and Emma Stone. Notably, Daniel Day-Lewis will return from retirement to appear in Anemone, directed by his son.

Filmmakers Yorgos Lanthimos and Zhao Ching will join festival talks alongside Day-Lewis, discussing their latest projects and insights into filmmaking.

Commitment to Diversity

Festival Director Kristy Matheson emphasized the festival’s dedication to representing diverse voices and global perspectives. “We really want the program to reflect the city that we're in, so we're really looking for an enormous geographic diversity, and we're also just looking for the program to represent the world around us,” she said.

This year, 42% of featured works were created by female or nonbinary filmmakers, highlighting a commitment to inclusivity within the global cinema landscape.

The 69th BFI London Film Festival continues through October 19, offering audiences a unique opportunity to experience some of the year’s most anticipated films and celebrate cinema with its creators.