Director Rian Johnson Hated This Change Netflix Made to ‘Glass Onion’

There have been very few original films with the same level of success at the box office as Knives Out. Director and writer Rian Johnson assembled a stellar ensemble for his take on the Agatha Christie-style murder mystery. The result was a financial success in theaters worldwide. 

The Knives Out sequel, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, premiered on Netflix on December 23, 2022, and just like the first film, fans have been loving it. But while Director Johnson is happy about Glass Onion’s success, he has voiced his displeasure about one particular change Netflix made to the film’s title.

What is ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’ about?

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery features the return of Detective Benoit Blanc, portrayed by Daniel Craig, who solved the murder of Harlan Thrombey in the 2019 film Knives Out. This time, Blanc, together with a caravan of wealthy elites, travels to a vast private island to help Miles Bron solve a murder mystery case he has made up for his party.

However, things swiftly go astray when real bodies begin to appear, prompting Benoit Blanc to investigate the case of multiple genuine murders that occur at the Glass Onion property.

Director Rian Johnson was upset that Netflix added ‘A Knives Out Mystery’ to the official title of ‘Glass Onion’

Rian Johnson, director of the highly praised Knives Out sequel Glass Onion, has a minor gripe with the film’s official title: Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Upon the film’s release on Netflix on December 23rd, Johnson told The Atlantic that he was unhappy with the marketing decision to add “A Knives Out Mystery” to the title.

The director stated that he had made an effort for each Knives Out film to stand on its own, with the sole connection between the 2019 film and the 2022 feature being Daniel Craig’s detective character. He said, “Honestly, I’m pissed off that we have ‘A Knives Out Mystery’ in the title. I want it to just be called Glass Onion. I get it, and I want everyone who liked the first movie to know this is next in the series, but also, the whole appeal to me is it’s a new novel off the shelf every time.”

Glass Onion, which has topped Netflix’s daily most-watched chart since its streaming launch, has a brand-new mystery and ensemble of suspects, including Edward Norton, Janelle Monae, Dave Bautista, Kathryn Hahn, and Kate Hudson, among others. Johnson noted that he loves endings so much that he didn’t want the “Knives Out” name to continue on after the conclusion of the 2019 original, for which he received an Oscar nomination for original screenplay.

Johnson and Craig have already agreed to work with Netflix on a third Knives Out film. And despite Johnson’s objections, “A Knives Out Mystery” is likely to remain in the third film’s title.

Critical response to ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’

Netflix’s 2019 blockbuster Knives Out, wowed reviewers and audiences with its innovative take on a classic genre. Now, its sequel, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, is doing the same. The film has a 92% “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the website’s consensus reading, “Glass Onion reunites Benoit Blanc with a great ensemble cast for another brilliantly fascinating mystery.” On Metacritic, the film received “universal acclaim,” as determined by the weighted average of 61 reviews.

Over on Twitter, fans were blown away, with user Anewluemerges writing, “Watched it and can say it was….  EXCELLENT!  Do yourselves a huge favor.  Find a comfy spot on the couch and settle in for a fun ride.” User Suz_Q33 echoed these sentiments, adding “It’s worth the wait. I realize he’s been James Bond, but Daniel Craig is even more iconic as Benoit Blanc. We need more. Please.”